What to do after a car accident in South Carolina

Right after a wreck, your only job is to get safe and check on people. The car comes later. If anyone's hurt, call 911 first. Everything else on this page waits until that's handled.

Once you know everyone's okay, look at where the vehicles are sitting. If they still run and they're blocking a lane, and it's safe to do it, ease them onto the shoulder or into a nearby lot so traffic isn't flying past you. If a car won't move or isn't safe to drive, leave it, turn on your hazards, and stay well clear of the travel lane while you wait. A dented fender isn't worth standing in traffic over.

Get the details while they're fresh

South Carolina expects you to report an accident that causes injury, death, or property damage over a set dollar amount, and the police report makes the insurance side far easier. So call it in. While you wait, use your phone. Take photos of both vehicles, the damage, the plates, the road, and anything that shows how it happened. Get the other driver's name, license, insurance, and plate number. If there are witnesses, grab a name and number. You won't remember the details later, and the pictures settle a lot of arguments.

Be careful what you say. Check on the other driver, be decent, but don't announce fault at the scene. You don't have the full picture yet, and neither do they. Let the report and the adjusters sort it out.

When you need a tow

If your car is drivable and the damage is cosmetic, you may be fine to drive it home. If a wheel is bent, fluid is leaking, a light won't turn off, or anything feels wrong, don't risk it. That's when you call for a tow. We'll bring a flatbed so a damaged car rides without taking any more punishment, and we'll take it to the shop, dealership, or body shop you choose, not just the nearest lot.

For a normal fender bender, that's our everyday emergency towing. If it's a bigger vehicle, a rollover, or something blocking a busy road, that's heavy-duty recovery, and we've got the wrecker for it. Either way, one call to (843) 813-6335 gets a truck rolling, and you'll talk to the person driving it.

Keep every receipt. Your insurance often covers the tow and the storage, so the tow bill and the shop paperwork matter. If you're not sure whether the car is safe to move, call and describe it. We'd rather tell you honestly over the phone than have you drive something you shouldn't.

One more thing, since it comes up a lot around here: if you broke down rather than crashed, the steps are a little different. We wrote a separate walk-through for breaking down on Highway 17 that covers staying safe on a fast road. And if you want to know what a tow runs, here's how tow pricing works around Charleston.