Immediate Steps at the Scene Before We Arrive
If you've been in a collision, the first priority is getting everyone away from moving traffic to a safe position, such as behind a barrier or well onto the verge. Call 999 if anyone is injured or if the road is completely blocked, then call SYA Rescue so we can start moving a recovery vehicle towards you while emergency services attend if needed.
If it's safe to do so and you're not obstructing traffic further, take photographs of the vehicles' positions, any visible damage, the road layout and weather conditions before anything is moved. This is useful for your insurer later and doesn't need to be done if it puts you at any risk.
If your car has warning triangles or a hi-vis vest in the boot, use them if it's safe to reach them, placing a triangle a reasonable distance behind the vehicle on a fast road to warn approaching traffic. Don't attempt to move a badly damaged vehicle yourself, even a short distance, if doing so risks further injury or worsens the damage in a way that could affect an insurance assessment.
How We Assess a Damaged Vehicle Before Loading
On arrival, our operator checks whether the vehicle can be safely winched or driven onto the truck without causing further damage or risk. This includes checking whether the wheels still turn freely, whether the steering is locked from impact, whether fluids are leaking, and whether the airbags have deployed, since a deployed airbag can mean loose components under the dashboard that need careful handling.
Vehicles with damaged wheels or suspension are loaded using the winch and underlift arms rather than driven, even a short distance, to avoid causing further mechanical damage that could complicate an insurance assessment. If a vehicle is leaking fuel or other fluids, we contain this before loading to avoid contaminating the truck bed or the road surface.
Where a bumper, bonnet or panel has come loose but not fully detached, the operator will secure it with tape or straps before the journey so it doesn't cause a hazard to other road users or come away entirely during transport. Broken glass in or around the vehicle is cleared where it's safe to do so, both to protect anyone handling the vehicle afterwards and to leave the scene safe once the vehicle has gone.
Photographing and Recording Vehicle Condition
Before loading, the operator photographs the vehicle from multiple angles, capturing existing damage, the registration plate and the general condition of the interior and exterior. This creates a clear record of the vehicle's state at the point we took possession of it, which protects you if there's ever a dispute with an insurer or repairer about when particular damage occurred.
We also note down anything unusual, such as personal belongings left in the vehicle, dashboard warning lights still showing, or parts that have detached but remain loose in the footwell or boot, so nothing goes missing between the scene and the destination.
Choosing Where the Vehicle Goes Next
After an accident you may not yet know whether the vehicle is a repair or a write-off, so you don't need to have a final destination decided before we arrive. We can take the vehicle to your chosen body shop, an approved repairer nominated by your insurer, or into secure storage while you wait for an engineer's assessment or your insurer's instructions.
If your insurer or an accident management company has already been in contact and specified a particular repairer or compound, tell the operator this detail and we'll confirm the address before loading.
If the vehicle is going into storage rather than straight to a repairer, we'll confirm how you or your insurer can arrange collection or onward transport later, so there's no confusion about who is responsible for the next move once the vehicle is off the road.
Working With Insurers, Police and Accident Management Companies
Where police attend a collision, our operators liaise directly with the officers on scene about when the vehicle can be moved and where it needs to be taken, particularly if the vehicle is evidence in an ongoing investigation. We follow any instruction from the police about the vehicle's condition being preserved until it's released.
When an accident management company or insurer is involved, we can provide the job reference, photographs and delivery confirmation they need to process a claim, and we're used to working to the specific documentation and reporting requirements that different insurers ask for.
Some insurers require the vehicle to go to a specific engineer for an assessment before any repair work begins, rather than straight to a body shop. Where this applies, we take the vehicle to the assessment centre first and can arrange onward transport to the repairer once the assessment is complete, avoiding an unnecessary extra call-out for you.
Multi-Vehicle Incidents and Recovering More Than One Car
In collisions involving more than one vehicle, we can send additional trucks so that each vehicle is recovered separately rather than being left at the roadside waiting for a single truck to make repeat trips. This matters most on faster roads where a stationary vehicle at the roadside is itself a hazard to other traffic.
Where vehicles are entangled or blocking each other, our operator will assess the safest order to separate and load them, working with the police or highways officers present to manage traffic around the recovery.
Recovering Vehicles Left at the Roadside After an Accident
Occasionally a vehicle is driven or pushed clear of the carriageway immediately after a collision and left at the roadside until recovery can be arranged, particularly on faster roads where stopping traffic isn't practical. In these cases we treat the vehicle as a priority job, since a stationary damaged vehicle on a verge or hard shoulder remains a hazard to other drivers and to anyone standing near it.
When we attend a vehicle that's already been moved from the point of impact, the operator still records its current condition and position before loading, and will ask you or any witnesses present what happened so this can be noted alongside the photographs for your records.
