In short
- Get everyone to a safe place away from traffic. If anyone is trapped or injured, call Triple Zero (000) and help the injured if it is safe to do so.[2]
- Give your name and address, the owner's name and address, and the registration to everyone involved; Queensland law calls these the "required particulars".[1]
- Police must be told about a crash where someone needs medical attention, a driver won't give details, or a vehicle is towed away. Every driver involved has to report it.[1]
- Call us on 0413 479 606 straight away, don't admit liability, and collect the other driver's details. Our terms ask for a police report within 24 hours where one is required (clause 9).
- Your share of damage to the car is capped at the A$2,500 excess per incident, except in the cases clause 9.3 lists.
What should I do in the first few minutes?
The Queensland Police Service's crash card starts with one instruction: make sure you are in a safe location away from the traffic. If anyone is trapped or injured, call Triple Zero (000), and stop and give assistance to anyone who is hurt if it is safe to do so.[2]
The QPS crash FAQs set out when you must stay and call for help:[1]
- Call 000 if someone is killed or injured and needs medical attention from an ambulance officer, nurse or doctor, or if there is a hazard or threat to public safety such as a fuel spill, fallen power lines or traffic congestion.
- Call Policelink on 131 444 if a driver seems affected by alcohol or drugs, a driver won't give their details, or a driver with an impairment or disability needs police help.
- Otherwise, exchange information, move the vehicles if it is safe, and report the crash within 24 hours where a report is required.
If it is safe, you may move the car. QPS says not to move it, and to call 000, where there is an unreasonable risk to the public; and to call 131 444 instead of moving it if drugs or alcohol are suspected or moving it risks more damage.[1]
What details do I have to give the other driver?
Every driver in a crash must give their "required particulars" to anyone involved, including other drivers, injured people and owners of damaged property. They are:[1]
- your name and address;
- the name and address of the vehicle's owner, if that isn't you;
- the registration number; and
- any other information needed to identify the vehicle.
In a rental car you are not the owner, so the owner's details are part of what you hand over. If you aren't sure what to give, call us from the scene and we'll tell you.
Our terms ask for a little more from the other side: their name, address, licence, registration and insurer (clause 9.1). Photograph their licence and number plate if they agree, and take photos of both cars, the road and any signs. QPS doesn't need photos for a crash that isn't reportable, but says you may keep them for your records or your insurer.[1]
When do I have to report a crash to police in Queensland?
A crash is "reportable" if it involves any of these: death or injury needing medical attention; a driver who fails or refuses to give their required details; or a vehicle that can't be driven and is towed or carried away. If none applies, you don't have to report it, though you can still record it online for insurance purposes.[1]
When a crash is reportable, every driver must report it, whoever was at fault and even if the other driver already has. Not reporting a reportable crash can lead to a fine or imprisonment.[1]
| What happened | How it is reported |
|---|---|
| Someone injured, suspected drugs or alcohol, or a driver refused their details | At a police station, or by the police who attend[1] |
| A car was towed away, nobody hurt | Online, by calling Policelink on 131 444, or at a police station[1] |
| Minor damage, details swapped, no tow | Not required; an online record is optional[2] |
The online form is only for non-injury crashes. It gives you an online reference number straight away and, subject to operational requirements, a police report number by email within 5 days. You'll need an email address and a licence, 18+ card or passport.[3] Give us that number when you have it.
What if someone is injured?
Injuries from a crash in Queensland are claimed under the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) scheme, against the CTP insurer of the vehicle that may have caused the accident. The Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) says a CTP claim needs the crash to have been reported to police, and the traffic incident number police give you (the QP number).[4]
- If the crash wasn't reported or you weren't given a QP number, MAIC says to complete a Report of Traffic Incident to Police form and take it to a police station, not Policelink, so you receive the number.[4]
- You'll need the registration of the other vehicles to find their CTP insurer, and a CTP insurance medical certificate from a doctor who has examined you.[4]
- There are strict legal deadlines for lodging the Notice of Accident Claim Form, and a late claim may be rejected.[4]
If you reported a crash as non-injury and an injury appears later, QPS says to go to a police station as soon as possible with the reference number from your first report.[1]
When and how do I tell Rentzy?
Straight away, once everyone is safe. Clause 9.1 of our rental terms asks you to report any accident, damage, theft or vandalism to us immediately, and to police within 24 hours where required. Call us on 0413 479 606; if we don't answer, or it's outside opening hours, email info@rentzy.com.au as well, with your booking name, where it happened and a photo of the damage.
- Tell us whether the car can be driven safely. If it can't, ask us before booking a tow or any repair: our terms say not to arrange repairs without our consent (clause 8).
- Don't leave the car for police to move. QPS expects drivers to arrange their own tow; it arranges one only when the driver hasn't and the car is causing a hazard, and that tow is at the owner's expense.[1]
- Send us the other driver's details, your photos and any police reference or QP number.
- Help with the claim. Clause 9.5 asks you to cooperate with us and our insurer and provide the statements and documents reasonably requested.
Whether your own car insurance or a credit card helps with what you owe us is a separate question, answered in does car insurance cover a rental car.
How much will I have to pay?
Under clause 9.2 you are liable for loss of or damage to the car, and for third-party loss, up to the renter's excess of A$2,500 per incident (or the amount in your booking). That limit falls away in the cases clause 9.3 lists, which include:
- driving under the influence, without a valid licence, or recklessly;
- letting someone we haven't approved drive;
- driving through water, or into an obstacle that damages the roof or underbody;
- failing to report the incident or to cooperate with us and our insurer.
The last one is why reporting quickly matters: a late or missing report can turn a capped cost into an uncapped one. Clause 9.4 can also add lost rental income while the car is off the road, up to 2 weeks' rent. Any approved amount is taken from the bond first (clause 10).
How the bond and excess fit together is explained in bond, deposit and excess, and ways to cover the excess in rental car excess insurance. If it was your own car that was damaged and you need something to drive while it's fixed, see renting a car while yours is being repaired.
Sources
- Queensland Police Service: Traffic crash FAQs (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Police Service: What to do in a traffic crash (glovebox card) (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Police Service: Reporting a Traffic Crash (read 23 October 2026)
- Motor Accident Insurance Commission (Queensland Government): How to make a claim: pre-claim checklist (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
