Rules ›

After an accident

This topic checks what a driver must do after a traffic accident: stop, help injured people, prevent more danger and report to the police. Leaving the scene (hit-and-run) is a serious crime in Japan.

Key rules

• Stop driving immediately when an accident happens. Move the car to a safe place (road shoulder, empty lot) where it does not block traffic, and turn off the engine.
• Help injured people. Give first aid you can do, such as stopping bleeding with clean gauze or a handkerchief, until a doctor or ambulance arrives.
• Do not move an injured person without need, especially one with a head injury. But if another crash is likely, move the person quickly to a safe place.
• Report to the police: where and when the accident happened, how many were injured and how badly, what was damaged, and what you were carrying. Then follow the police officer's instructions.
• The duty to stop, help and report applies to every accident, even a minor one. Always tell the police, even for a light injury.
• The police can order the driver to stay at the scene until the officer arrives.
• See a doctor, even if you have no visible injury, when your head or body took a strong impact. Problems can appear later.
• People at the scene should help with first aid and moving vehicles. If you see a hit-and-run, help the injured and call 110 with the car's number, type and colour. Do not smoke or throw matches near the scene because of fuel.

Numbers to remember

Common traps

• 'A minor accident without injury does not need to be reported.' Wrong: every traffic accident must be reported to the police.
• 'Never move an injured person' or 'always move them.' Both are wrong: do not move them without need, but move them quickly when there is a danger of another crash.
• 'Settling with the other driver or calling only your insurance company is enough.' Wrong: the law requires you to help the injured and to report to the police.
• 'Report first, then help.' Wrong order in the rule: first stop, help the injured and prevent danger, then report.

In Japan you must report even a small accident to the police, and contacting only an insurer or the other driver is not enough. Leaving the scene without helping injured people is a serious crime.

Try 2 questions

Practise this topic Start the free 10-question test →