What to Do After a Crash on the PA Turnpike

A crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike can become dangerous in seconds. Traffic moves at highway speeds, visibility may be limited, and a disabled vehicle near an active travel lane can put everyone at risk. Your first priority is not documenting the crash or talking to an insurance adjuster—it is getting yourself and your passengers to the safest available location and calling for help.

If you are involved in a Turnpike collision, move your vehicle as far away from moving traffic as you safely can, call *11 from a cell phone to reach the Pennsylvania Turnpike Operations Center, and call 911 when there are injuries, fire, blocked lanes, or an immediate emergency. Francis Law helps people injured in high-speed highway crashes throughout northeastern Pennsylvania understand the next steps after the scene is safe.

1. Get Out of the Travel Lanes if You Safely Can

 

After a crash, take a breath and quickly assess whether the vehicle can be moved. If it is operable and moving it will not create another hazard, drive it as far from traffic as possible. A wide shoulder, emergency pull-off area, service plaza, or exit may be safer than stopping close to an active lane. Turn on your hazard lights immediately.

Do not leave a vehicle stopped near a live travel lane simply to inspect damage or exchange information. The Pennsylvania Turnpike specifically advises drivers involved in a crash to move the vehicle as far off the road as possible and not to leave it near active traffic lanes. On a high-speed roadway, even a minor collision can turn into a far more serious secondary crash.

If the vehicle cannot be moved, is blocking a lane, or has become unsafe because of smoke, fire, leaking fuel, or other immediate danger, call for emergency assistance right away. Do not attempt repairs on the shoulder or stand between vehicles.

2. Call *11 and Give an Exact Location

 

On the PA Turnpike, dial *11 from a cell phone for the fastest connection to the Turnpike Operations Center. You may also call 1-800-332-3880. Tell the dispatcher that a crash has occurred, whether anyone is injured, whether a vehicle is blocking traffic, and whether there is a fire, debris, fuel leak, or another urgent hazard.

Your location is essential. Look for the green mile markers along the shoulder and report the Turnpike route, direction of travel, and closest mile marker. If you are near an interchange, tunnel, service plaza, bridge, or recognizable landmark, share that too. Accurate location information helps the dispatcher send the Pennsylvania State Police, Turnpike safety patrol, fire department, ambulance, and authorized towing help to the correct place.

Call 911 as well when anyone needs medical care, the crash creates an immediate danger, or you cannot safely wait for Turnpike assistance. If you are unsure whether an injury is serious, it is better to report it and let trained responders assess the situation.

3. Stay Safe While You Wait for Responders

 

What you do after calling can matter as much as the call itself. If your vehicle is safely out of the active lanes and there is no immediate danger, remain inside with seat belts fastened and doors locked while you wait for help. Keep hazards on. Do not walk along the roadway to find a phone, talk to another driver, or look for damage.

If you must leave because the vehicle is on fire, filling with smoke, in an unsafe location, or you are directed to exit by emergency personnel, leave from the side away from traffic whenever possible. Move well away from the roadway and behind a barrier or guardrail if one is available. Never stand directly in front of or behind a disabled vehicle, and never cross active Turnpike lanes.

Follow instructions from the Pennsylvania State Police, Turnpike personnel, fire police, tow operators, and emergency medical responders. They may close lanes, direct traffic, tell you where to wait, or arrange for a vehicle to be moved. Their instructions are designed to prevent a secondary collision.

4. Check for Injuries Without Making Them Worse

 

Check yourself, passengers, and others for injuries. Ask whether anyone has severe pain, trouble breathing, dizziness, numbness, weakness, confusion, bleeding, or loss of consciousness. Do not move a person who may have a head, neck, back, or serious injury unless there is an immediate danger, such as fire.

Adrenaline can hide symptoms after a high-speed crash. Headaches, neck pain, back pain, concussions, numbness, and other injuries may not be obvious at the scene. Accept an evaluation from emergency medical personnel when appropriate, and seek prompt medical care after the crash if symptoms appear or worsen. Early medical documentation can also help connect injuries to the collision.

5. Exchange Information and Preserve Evidence When It Is Safe

 

Once the scene is secure, exchange basic information with other drivers: names, contact information, driver’s-license details, vehicle registration, insurance information, and license-plate numbers. Avoid arguing about fault or making statements that minimize your injuries. A simple, factual exchange is enough at the scene.

If you can do so safely, take photographs of the vehicle positions, damage, roadway conditions, lane markings, debris, weather, mile marker, traffic control devices, and visible injuries. Save dash-camera footage if available. Get the names and contact information of witnesses, but do not place yourself in danger to collect evidence.

Ask the responding officer how to obtain the police crash report and record the report or incident number if it is provided. Keep towing paperwork, receipts, medical records, repair estimates, photographs, and communications from insurance companies. In a Turnpike crash, evidence may also include roadway cameras, vehicle data, commercial-truck records, and witness accounts, so prompt legal review can be important in serious cases.

6. Understand Pennsylvania Reporting Requirements

 

When police respond, they generally prepare the crash report. But a driver may have an additional reporting responsibility if police do not investigate the crash. Pennsylvania’s driver guidance states that if a crash involves injury or death, or if a vehicle must be towed, and police did not investigate, the driver should submit the Driver’s Accident Report Form, known as AA-600, to PennDOT within five days.

Do not assume a private agreement with another driver eliminates reporting or insurance obligations. Notify your insurer promptly, provide accurate basic facts, and preserve the information you gathered. Before giving a recorded statement, signing a broad medical authorization, or accepting a quick settlement after a significant injury, consider speaking with a lawyer.

7. Be Careful Around Responders and Disabled Vehicles

 

After the crash scene is cleared, other drivers still have legal and safety obligations around the response area. Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law generally requires drivers to move into a lane not adjacent to an emergency response area when it is safe to do so. If a lane change cannot safely be made, drivers must slow down to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit and proceed at a reasonable speed for the conditions.

The rule can also apply to a disabled vehicle displaying at least two emergency indicators, such as hazard lights, flares, or caution signs. This is one reason to use hazard lights and wait for trained assistance rather than trying to handle a high-speed Turnpike collision alone.

When to Call a Pennsylvania Turnpike Accident Lawyer

 

Legal guidance may be helpful if you suffered serious injuries, another driver disputes fault, a tractor-trailer or commercial vehicle was involved, the crash occurred in a work zone, multiple vehicles were involved, or the insurer is pressuring you to settle before you know the full extent of your injuries.

Francis Law represents people hurt in car, truck, motorcycle, and other highway collisions in  across Pennsylvania. We can investigate what happened, identify available insurance coverage, preserve evidence, and explain your options after a serious Turnpike crash.

FAQ

 

What number should I call after a crash on the PA Turnpike?

Dial *11 from a cell phone to contact the Pennsylvania Turnpike Operations Center. You can also call 1-800-332-3880. Call 911 for injuries, blocked lanes, fire, or an immediate emergency.

Should I move my car after a Turnpike accident?

If it is safe and the vehicle is operable, move it as far from active traffic as possible. Use a wide shoulder, service plaza, emergency pull-off, or exit when available.

Should I get out of my vehicle on the Turnpike?

If your vehicle is safely off the roadway and there is no immediate danger, stay inside with your seat belt on while waiting for help. Exit only when necessary for safety or when directed by responders.

How do I report a crash if police do not respond?

If the crash involved an injury, death, or a vehicle that had to be towed and police did not investigate, Pennsylvania guidance instructs drivers to submit an AA-600 Driver’s Accident Report to PennDOT within five days.

What information should I collect after the crash?

Collect driver, insurance, registration, and witness information. When safe, photograph the scene, damage, roadway conditions, mile marker, and visible injuries, and keep all medical, towing, and repair records.