A clear guide for a stressful situation.
Being involved in a car accident is stressful, even more so when you’re in a rental vehicle. The most important thing is to stay calm and follow a clear process. At Alpha Car Hire, your safety is our absolute priority.
This guide outlines the exact steps to take immediately following an incident to ensure everyone is safe and the situation is handled correctly.
Immediate Steps at the Accident Scene
Your priority is the safety of yourself, your passengers, and others involved.
- Check for Injuries: Assess yourself and your passengers. If anyone is injured, call Triple Zero (000) immediately for police, fire or ambulance.
- Move to Safety: If the accident is minor and your vehicle is drivable, move it safely to the side of the road, out of traffic, and turn on your hazard lights.
- Do Not Admit Fault: This is critical. Do not admit liability, fault, or offer to pay for damages, even if you think the accident was your fault. Simply state that you need to exchange details for your rental and insurance companies.
- Stop and Exchange Details: It is a legal requirement to stop and exchange information with the other driver, even for minor incidents.
Information You Must Gather
Once it is safe to do so, you must collect the following information. This is essential for the insurance and accident reporting process.
- Other Party’s Details: Full Name, Address, Phone Number and Driver’s Licence Number.
- Other Vehicle’s Details: Registration Number, Make, Model and Colour.
- Other Party’s Insurer: Ask for the name of their insurance company (if they know it).
- Witness Details: If there were any witnesses, get their Full Name and Phone Number.
- Police Report: If police attend the scene, get the attending officer’s name and the Police Event Number.
Take Photos of the Scene
Using your smartphone, take clear photos of the accident scene, provided it is safe to do so.
- Damage: Take close-up photos of the damage to all vehicles involved.
- Wide Shots: Take wider shots of the accident scene, capturing the position of the vehicles, road conditions, and any relevant road signs.
- Number Plates: Get clear, readable photos of the number plates of all vehicles.
Contact Alpha Car Hire
As soon as you are safe, you must contact us to report the incident. You must report the accident or damage to Alpha Car Hire within 48 hours of the incident.
- Call our car hire concierge on 1300 227 473 or the branch from which you picked up your hire car.
- We will guide you through the immediate next steps, determine if you require roadside assistance, and provide you with an Accident Report Form.
- This form must be completed and returned to us with all the collected information as soon as possible.
Understanding Your Liability
Your car hire agreement with Alpha Car Hire includes standard liability protection. The total excess amount you may be responsible for depends on the Liability Reduction option you selected when you first booked your vehicle.
Our team will explain this clearly when you call to report the incident. For a detailed breakdown of what’s covered, please review our official Roadside Assistance and Damage guide. This is why we always recommend reviewing your options before you hire, so you can have complete peace of mind on the road.
We’re Here to Help
Accidents are unsettling, but you are not alone. Our team is here to support you through the process and get you back on your journey safely. Following these steps helps us resolve everything as smoothly as possible.
