In the first hours after the crash, your priorities should be safety and documentation—especially in areas where traffic moves quickly and nearby cameras may overwrite footage.
Do this right away:
- Call 911 if anyone is injured (even if injuries seem minor at first).
- Request an officer response and get the report number.
- Write down what you remember: the direction of travel, approximate time, vehicle color, damage pattern, and anything distinctive.
- Photograph what you can: your injuries (as appropriate), vehicle damage, road conditions, debris, and any signage or crosswalk markings.
- Identify potential camera locations nearby—shopping centers, gas stations, apartment complexes, and storefronts along heavily trafficked Whittier routes.
Avoid common pitfalls:
- Don’t rely on memory alone days later—Whittier drivers and witnesses may be hard to track down if you wait.
- Don’t give recorded statements to insurers before you understand how your words could be used.
- Don’t delay medical care. In California, gaps in treatment can become a focus of dispute.


