Loading...
Accident Response · San Diego
Nobody plans for a car accident. One second you're driving home on I-8, the next second there's a crunch of metal and your heart is pounding and you're sitting in a cloud of airbag dust wondering what just happened.
We see it every week. RJ Towing has responded to hundreds of collision scenes across San Diego County over the last 15 years, on the I-5 downtown interchange, on University Avenue near Fairmount, on the I-8/I-5 merge in Mission Valley, on narrow stretches of SR-163 through Hillcrest, on the I-805 bridge near Sweetwater. We've loaded totaled cars at 2 a.m. on the shoulder of I-15 near Miramar and recovered flipped vehicles in Otay Mesa industrial parks.
This guide is what we wish every driver already knew before they needed us.
Before you do anything else, take a breath. Then check yourself. Move your neck slowly. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Ask any passengers if they're hurt.
Adrenaline masks pain. You might feel completely fine and have a fractured wrist or whiplash that won't show up until tomorrow. If anything hurts, anything at all, do not move more than necessary and call 911 immediately.
If everyone in your car is okay, check the other vehicle's occupants. A quick “are you okay?” from a safe distance matters.
If your car still runs and can move, pull to the right shoulder or off the road. This is critical on San Diego freeways, where traffic doesn't slow down the way you expect.
Some specific spots where staying in a live lane is especially dangerous:
If your car cannot move, turn on your hazard lights, keep your seatbelt on, and stay inside the vehicle unless there's a fire, smoke, or fluid leak that suggests danger.
Call 911 if anyone is injured, if vehicles are blocking travel lanes on a freeway, or if there's fire, smoke, or leaking fluids. You don't need to know whether to call SDPD, CHP, or a city department, 911 routes you to the correct agency based on your location.
Here's how jurisdiction works in San Diego:
For minor fender-benders where nobody is hurt and cars are drivable, police may not respond. That's normal. You can still file a report afterward.
Your phone camera is the single most important tool you have after a crash. Before anyone moves their car, before the adrenaline wears off, take photos:
Take a screenshot of your phone's map showing your exact location and the time. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and phone numbers. If any nearby businesses have security cameras pointing at the road, note which businesses.
California law requires you to exchange the following information after an accident:
Be polite but brief. Do not say “I'm sorry” or “it was my fault”, even if you feel that way. Statements like these can be used against you in insurance claims or court. Stick to the facts: “Are you okay? Here's my information.”
If the other driver refuses to provide information, or if they leave the scene, write down their license plate number and call the police. Hit-and-run is a crime in California.
If officers respond, they'll file a traffic collision report. Ask the responding officer for the report number before they leave. You'll need this for your insurance claim, and any body shop you work with will want it.
In San Diego:
If police don't respond, you can file your own report at the nearest station or use CHP's online collision report form for freeway incidents. Do this within 24 hours while your memory is fresh.
Not every accident requires a tow truck. But many do. You need a tow if:
Do not drive a damaged vehicle “just to get it home.” What looks like a minor dent might be hiding a cracked radiator support, bent tie rod, or compromised steering. We've towed vehicles that drivers tried to drive home from an accident and ended up stalled two blocks later with a seized engine or a wheel that fell off.
If you need a tow from an accident scene anywhere in San Diego County, call RJ Towing at (619) 872-5285. We dispatch a flatbed in 15-30 minutes, document your vehicle's condition, coordinate with the officer on scene if needed, and transport your car to the body shop, insurance facility, or location of your choice. Bilingual dispatch available 24/7. Se habla español, también al (664) 801-9382.
Call your insurance company as soon as it's practical, ideally the same day. Have the following ready:
Your insurance company will assign a claim number and an adjuster. The adjuster will want to inspect the vehicle, which is why knowing where your car was towed matters. If you don't have a preferred body shop, your insurer will suggest one, but you have the right to choose your own shop in California.
Accident injuries often don't show up immediately. Whiplash, concussions, soft tissue damage, and even hairline fractures can take 24-72 hours to present symptoms. If you experience neck pain, headaches, dizziness, back pain, numbness, or difficulty sleeping in the days after an accident, see a doctor. Tell them it's accident-related so it's documented for your insurance claim.
Based on 15 years of responding to collision calls across the county, these are the spots where we get called most frequently:
Knowing these areas doesn't prevent accidents, but it might make you a little more alert when you drive through them.
I've been towing in San Diego since before smartphones existed. The biggest change I've seen isn't the technology, it's the anxiety. People used to get in fender-benders and handle it calmly. Now I show up to scenes where people are panicking because they're afraid of what it'll cost, what their insurance will do, or whether the other driver is going to sue.
Here's the truth: most accidents are minor. Most insurance claims get resolved. Most cars get fixed. The important thing is that you and your passengers are safe. Everything else is paperwork and time.
If you're reading this because you were just in an accident, take a breath. Call 911 if anyone's hurt. Take your photos. Exchange your info. And if you need a tow, call us at (619) 872-5285. We'll be there in 15-30 minutes and we'll take care of your car like it's ours.
Written by the RJ Towing team, 15+ years serving San Diego. For accident towing, emergency towing, or any roadside assistance, call (619) 872-5285 any time, day or night.
Written by
15+ years responding to San Diego roadside calls
Real roadside experience from RJ Towing, San Diego's family-owned bilingual tow operation. 15+ years, 5+ trucks, covering every freeway in the county and the Tijuana border corridor.
Related Reading
I-5, I-8, I-15, I-805, SR-163, SR-52, SR-94, each freeway has its own breakdown quirks. A freeway-by-freeway guide from a towing company that has responded on every mile.
Six signals of a legitimate towing company, six red flags that signal a scam, and how to evaluate a tow operator in two minutes on the phone.
The difference between flatbed and wheel-lift towing isn't just about comfort, for AWD and EV vehicles, choosing wrong can cause thousands in drivetrain damage. Here's how to match your vehicle to the right truck.
This article was written by the same team that answers the phone when you call. Bilingual dispatch, 15-30 minute response, 24/7 across San Diego County and the Tijuana border corridor.
(619) 872-5285
Hablamos español. Llama al (619) 872-5285 o línea Tijuana (664) 801-9382.
Servicio en Tijuana: (664) 801-9382