Accident Photo Checklist Template

Key Takeaways

• Use this checklist at the scene, not after. Its purpose is to guide the photo sequence while conditions are still present — not to confirm afterward that you photographed the right things.
• Check off each category as you complete it. Working through a category list misses fewer angles than shooting by instinct at an active scene.
• Annotate the checklist with where photos are stored so the record and the files stay connected.

Using the checklist at the scene

Have the checklist accessible before you start shooting — printed in the cab or pulled up on your phone. At an active scene with multiple distractions, working through categories in order produces more complete coverage than relying on instinct.

Work through the categories in sequence: scene orientation shots, each vehicle, road surface and markings, traffic control elements, cargo if applicable, other parties' documentation. Check off each category as you complete it.

Photo categories and what each covers

Scene orientation: wide shots from multiple angles showing both vehicles, the road configuration, and fixed landmarks. These establish where everything was before anything moves. Vehicle damage: each vehicle from all four sides, plus close-ups of specific impact points and pre-existing damage noted separately.

Road and environment: lane markings at the point of impact, skid marks, road surface condition, weather visible in the frame, traffic signs and signals, and sight lines from each approach direction. Other party documentation: license plate, registration card, insurance card, and DOT placard if the other vehicle is commercial.

Annotation and storage notes

Use the notes section to record where photos are stored: phone photo roll, company app, emailed to safety contact, uploaded to claim portal. A checklist recording what was photographed without noting where the files are doesn't help anyone locate the photos later.

If any category on the checklist wasn't covered — area not safely accessible, conditions changed before you got to it — note why. An explained gap is less problematic than an unexplained one.

At the repair shop and tow yard

The checklist extends beyond the scene. Photograph the truck at the tow yard before any parts are removed or the vehicle is repositioned. Photograph teardown damage at the shop before it is covered by new parts. Add these photos to the same incident file and note the date and location on the checklist.

Tow yard and shop photos often support the repair supplement process and total loss valuation discussions. They belong in the incident file, not in a separate folder that doesn't connect to the original record.