After a crash, check for injuries, get to a safe place, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or the car cannot be driven. In Pennsylvania, a driver must notify police right away when an accident causes an injury or leaves a vehicle unable to be driven, so that it needs a tow. In Philadelphia, if police come to the scene, who tows the car from that scene is often decided by the city’s rotational tow system, not by you or by us. If police are not at the scene, or after the car has been moved, you can arrange your own tow. O’Hara & Sons Towing can help: (267) 377-3246, open 24/7.

What are the first steps after an accident?

  1. Check yourself and others. Call 911 for any injury, however minor it seems.
  2. Move to safety. If the cars can be driven and it is safe, move them out of travel lanes. Otherwise stay put with hazard lights on and stay out of traffic.
  3. Call the police. Pennsylvania law requires immediate notice to police if there is an injury or death, or if a vehicle cannot be driven under its own power without further damage or hazard and needs towing.
  4. Exchange information. Names, phone numbers, insurance details, plates and a description of each vehicle.
  5. Take photos. Vehicles, plates, the scene, road signs and any damage.
  6. Do not accept a tow from someone who simply shows up. Philadelphia’s towing code prohibits tow companies from soliciting at an accident scene unless a party to the accident or a police officer has summoned them.
  7. Call your insurer when you are safe.

Who decides which company tows my car from the scene?

It depends on where you are and who responds.

  • Police respond to a Philadelphia street crash. The city’s code says that no one may tow from a police-attended accident scene unless the company was selected through the city’s rotational system. Police will arrange it, and the tow company will give you a form that explains your rights and where the vehicle is being taken. The code allows you to direct the vehicle to another location within city limits.
  • Disabled vehicle on the shoulder of a limited-access highway in Philadelphia. The same rotational rule applies. On a state highway, the State Police may select or permit the tow.
  • No police at the scene, or the vehicle has already been moved. You or the owner may choose the tow company. That is where a call to us fits, for example to move a car from a storage lot to a repair shop, your home or our yard.

Because of this, we do not tell people we can tow them from every crash scene. If police are on scene, follow their direction. After that, call us and we will tell you plainly what we can do.

What if I do not know where my car was taken?

See how to find and get your towed car in Philadelphia. For a police-dispatched tow, search for the vehicle at autoreturn.com first. If you cannot find it there, call 911 as a fallback.

What happens next for an accident-damaged car?

Ask where the car is stored and what storage costs per day, keep every receipt, and tell your insurer where the vehicle is. A damaged car may need a flatbed. O’Hara & Sons Towing offers accident recovery when we are the company you call, and vehicle storage at our yard. If you want a repair shop, you choose it. Our sister company O’Hara and Sons Automotive explains how that works on its insurance-claims page.

Sources and notes

A little clarity goes a long way

GOOD QUESTIONS.STRAIGHT ANSWERS.

Do I have to call the police after an accident in Pennsylvania?

You must notify police immediately if anyone is injured or killed, or if a vehicle is damaged so that it cannot be driven normally and needs towing. If police do not investigate a reportable accident, state law requires a written report to PennDOT within five days. The PennDOT form is AA-600.

Can I choose my own tow company after a crash in Philadelphia?

Sometimes. If police respond to the scene, city code requires the tow from that scene to come through the rotational system. If police do not respond, or after the vehicle has been moved, you may choose. Outside Philadelphia, rules differ.

Does O’Hara & Sons Towing tow from police-attended crash scenes in Philadelphia?

We do not promise that. Police-attended scenes in Philadelphia are handled through the rotational system. Call us for accident recovery in other situations and ask what is possible for yours.

Can a tow truck driver pressure me at the scene?

Philadelphia’s code prohibits soliciting tow business at an accident scene unless you or the police summoned the company. If someone you did not call pushes you, tell the police officer on scene.

Who pays for the tow?

It depends on fault, your insurance and who towed the vehicle. Ask for the fee and what it covers, keep receipts, and ask your insurer what is covered.

Need a tow after an accident?

Call O’Hara & Sons Towing at (267) 377-3246, open 24/7. Accident recovery · Contact