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🚙 Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair · All 5 boroughs
Car accident in NYC? Get matched with local towing, body shop and property-repair pros
A crash on Ocean Parkway or a car through a front fence in Queens: once everyone is safe, you have a damaged car to move and fix, and maybe a fence, garage or storefront to repair. We connect you with independent local companies for the vehicle and property side.
- Free to use — no obligation
- Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island
- You choose whether to hire anyone
Heads-up: we’re a referral service, not the company that does the work. We pass your request to independent local providers.
What to do right now
- If anyone is hurt, or a car is sitting in traffic or leaking fuel, call 911 first.
- Stop. New York law says you must stop after any crash, even a small one, and exchange your name, address, license, registration and insurance details with the other drivers.
- If you hit a parked car, a fence, a building or other property, try to find the owner. If you can’t, notify the police.
- If it’s safe, move the car off the road and turn on your hazard lights. Stay out of travel lanes.
- On a NYC street or highway, the car is towed by a police-authorized, DCWP-licensed tow company. You can tell them where to take it anywhere in the city: home, or a body shop you choose.
- Take photos of the cars, the property damage and the scene before anything is moved, if you safely can.
- If the crash caused more than $1,000 in damage to anyone’s property, or anyone was hurt, each driver must file a crash report (MV-104) with the NY DMV within 10 days.
⚠️ Safety first
- Stay out of moving traffic. On a highway shoulder, stand well away from the road or behind a barrier.
- Watch for leaking fuel, and keep away from downed wires. If wires touch the car, stay inside until help arrives.
- If a car hit a building and a wall, porch or storefront looks cracked or unstable, keep everyone out and call 911.
- Don’t sign blank forms. Sign an “Authorization to Tow” for towing only. You don’t have to sign a repair authorization or a “Designated Representative” form to get towed.
Common causes
- Car not drivable after a crash
- Car towed from the scene and now needs to go to a body shop
- Dents, bumper, glass or frame damage that needs collision repair
- A car that hit a fence, gate, garage or porch
- A car that hit a storefront or the front of a building
- A parked car hit while you were away
What to ask before you hire
- Body shop: are you registered with the NY DMV? (The DMV regulates repair shops, which should show a registration certificate and sign. You can look a shop up on the DMV site.)
- Will you give me a written estimate before you start, and call me before doing extra work?
- Will you deal with my insurance company’s adjuster, and how long will the repair take?
- Tow company: what is your NYC DCWP tow license number, and what is the total price before you hook up? (DCWP-licensed tow companies must take credit cards.)
- Property repair: do you hold a NYC DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license? (Fence, garage, porch and driveway repairs at a home need one.)
Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair by borough
Jump to: Brooklyn · Queens · Manhattan · Bronx · Staten Island
Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair in Brooklyn
In Brooklyn, crashes on the Belt Parkway, BQE or Gowanus are towed by a police-authorized company. Have the car taken straight to the Brooklyn body shop you pick, so you don’t pay for a second tow.
Get matched with a Brooklyn pro →Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair in Queens
In Queens, many accidents involve driveways, fences and garages on side streets. Take photos of the property damage before cleanup starts, and get a written estimate from a licensed home improvement contractor for the repair.
Get matched with a Queens pro →Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair in Manhattan
In Manhattan, a car that hits a storefront or building facade can affect the whole building. Tell the building owner or manager right away, and keep people away from damaged glass or masonry until it’s checked.
Get matched with a Manhattan pro →Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair in Bronx
On the Cross Bronx, Major Deegan or Bruckner, stay out of moving lanes and let the police-authorized tow move the car. You can then have it taken to any Bronx shop you choose.
Get matched with a Bronx pro →Car Accident Towing & Collision Repair in Staten Island
On Staten Island, distances between shops can be long. Decide where the car should go before it’s towed, and ask any later tow company for the full price, including mileage, up front.
Get matched with a Staten Island pro →Questions
Can I call my own tow company after an accident?
Not from the scene on a NYC street or highway. The City’s DCWP says those cars must be towed by a DCWP-licensed company authorized by the police. You can tell that company where to take the car anywhere in NYC. If the car is already off the road, at home, in a lot or in a storage yard, you can choose any licensed company to move it.
Do I have to use the tow company’s repair shop?
No. You have the right to have your car repaired wherever you choose. Tell the driver not to repair it, and don’t sign the tow company’s Authorization to Repair form.
Do I need to report the crash to the DMV?
In New York, each driver must file a Report of Motor Vehicle Crash (MV-104) within 10 days if anyone was hurt or the crash caused more than $1,000 in damage to any one person’s property. Telling your insurance company doesn’t replace this.
My car hit a fence or building. Who fixes it?
The property owner usually chooses who does the repair, often with the insurers involved. For a home, the contractor needs a NYC DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license. We can connect you with independent local repair companies.
Can you tell me the repair price now?
No. We don’t set prices. The shop or contractor quotes you directly. Ask for a written estimate.
Are you the police, the City or an insurance company?
No. We’re a private, free referral service that connects you with independent local towing companies, body shops and repair contractors.
How this works
- Tell us what’s wrong: the form takes about a minute.
- We pass your request to an independent local company that handles this kind of job in your area.
- They contact you to talk through the problem and the price. You decide whether to hire them.
The referral is free. We may be paid by the provider or a referral network. We don’t check or guarantee licenses, insurance, prices or quality. Please verify any company before you hire it. More on how it works.
Official sources
- NY DMV Driver’s Manual — Chapter 12: If You Are in a Traffic Crash
- NY DMV — File a Motorist Crash (Accident) Report (form MV-104)
- NYC DCWP — Towing Tips (includes “If You’re in an Accident” and “Choose Your Own Repair Shop”)
- NYC DCWP — Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Towing of Accident Vehicles and Repair Shops (PDF)
- NYC DCWP — Tow Truck Company License
- NYC DCWP — Check License Status
- NY DMV Driver’s Manual — Chapter 3: Owning a Vehicle (registered repair shops, complaints)
- NY DMV — Find a DMV Regulated Business (repair shop lookup)
- NYC MyCity Business — Home Improvement Contractor License