What to do after a car accident in Idaho
At the scene
- Get to safety and check for injuries; call 911 if anyone may be hurt.
- Exchange names, contact info, insurance, and plate numbers with the other driver. Photograph the vehicles, positions, and road.
- Get the responding officer's agency name and the case number from the exchange slip — that's what you'll use to pull the report later.
In the first days
- Notify your insurer promptly — most policies require it regardless of fault.
- Get the official crash report when it's ready — here's exactly how in Idaho ($7 on the state portal, or from the investigating agency).
- Read the report carefully and ask the agency to amend factual errors (wrong plate, wrong direction of travel).
- Keep a folder: photos, the report, repair estimates, medical visit dates, and every claim number.
Good to know in Idaho
- Idaho requires a crash to be reported to police when someone is injured or killed or when property damage appears to reach $1,500 — when officers respond, their report satisfies this.
- Idaho crash reports are public records (Idaho Code § 49-1306), so involved parties and insurers can get them without notarized paperwork.
- Idaho is an at-fault state with comparative negligence — fault percentage affects recovery. For legal questions, talk to a licensed Idaho attorney; this page is not legal advice.
Source: Idaho Transportation Department — crash reporting. Checked 2026-07-24. Details can change — always confirm with the official source.