Accident in Jeddah? Moving Your Car for Assessment After the Najm Report
Had an accident in Jeddah and your car cannot move? This guide sets out the general steps after a crash, what documents to keep, and how we move a damaged car to assessment or a workshop with a winch and hydraulic flatbed, even when its wheels do not turn.
Last updated: October 2026 · By the Satha Alam team
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Accident in Jeddah? A tow truck for assessment and moving a damaged car calmly
An accident rattles anyone, however calm. The impact, the crowd that forms, the phone calls, the paperwork, and on top of it all a car you are not sure can move. What you need is a simple order: your safety first, then reporting the accident to the right authority, then thinking about the car. When it is time to move a damaged car to damage assessment or a workshop, you need a tow truck for assessment that can carry a car with a broken bumper or a bent wheel without adding damage.
This article is a general, practical guide. It is not legal advice and does not replace instructions from Najm, the traffic police or your insurer. Procedures in Saudi Arabia evolve, especially with electronic services and apps, so always check Najm’s and the traffic police’s official channels before acting. What we can share is the general picture we see every day on Jeddah’s roads, and the part we know well: moving damaged cars safely.
Satha Alam has been moving accident cars inside Jeddah for more than ten years, using our tilting hydraulic flatbed with a pulling winch, straps and chains on four points. We work 24 hours a day, because accidents never pick a convenient time.
The first minutes after an accident: safety before the car
Before thinking about the report, assessment or a tow truck, focus on protecting people. Most drivers know these steps, but stress makes them easy to forget:
Once everyone is safe, take a breath and look at where you are. On a highway such as Al Haramain Road or King Abdullah Road, standing on the shoulder is dangerous in itself, so stay away from the car and behind a barrier if there is one. On inner district streets, watch for pedestrians and children who gather around accidents.
- Check that you and your passengers are fine. If anyone is hurt, call emergency services right away and do not move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger.
- Turn on your hazard lights and, if safe, place a warning triangle a good distance behind the car.
- On a highway, get out on the side away from traffic and keep clear of fast lanes.
- If you see smoke, leaking fuel or smell burning, move away from the car and do not restart it.
- Do not argue with the other party. Leave everything to the authority handling the accident.
- In minor accidents where the cars can move, the authorities usually ask drivers to clear the lane after taking photos to avoid congestion or a second crash. Follow the instructions given in your case.
Najm or traffic police: who handles the accident?
In Saudi Arabia, two main bodies handle traffic accidents depending on the case: Najm and the traffic police. In general, Najm deals with many accidents with no injuries where the vehicles are insured, while the traffic police handle other cases such as accidents with injuries or special situations. The exact criteria can change, and some minor accidents now have electronic routes through apps, so we cannot tell you precisely which body applies to every case.
The safest route is to contact Najm through its official channels, or the traffic police when the case calls for it, and follow the instructions you are given on site. Do not rely on roadside advice or old social media posts, because the steps are updated from time to time.
Satha Alam does not issue reports or deal with insurers on your behalf. We come after the on-site procedures are done or once you are allowed to move the car, and take it where you choose: home, a damage assessment center or your workshop.
Documents and photos to keep after an accident
Papers and photos are what move your case forward later, at assessment, with the insurer or at the workshop. Take a few minutes to collect these before the car is moved:
Keep everything in one folder on your phone and send a copy to yourself on WhatsApp or email. When you contact us for a tow, the same photos help us understand the car’s condition and plan the right loading method before we arrive.
- The accident report or reference number, and any text message from the authority.
- Photos of both cars from several angles, close-ups of the damage, and the number plates.
- A wide photo of the scene showing the road, signals and direction of travel.
- The other party's details as the authority requests, without getting into an argument.
- A photo of the odometer and dashboard if the car still starts.
- A photo of the registration and insurance policy, or confirm they are available electronically.
- Photos of the car on the flatbed before we leave and after delivery, which we can send you on request.
Car stuck? Let us pick it up now
Call us or send your location on WhatsApp. We will tell you the price and arrival time in minutes. The Satha Alam team is ready day and night.
After the report: damage assessment and where the car goes
Once the accident report is issued, the usual next step is damage assessment, an official evaluation of the damage and repair cost. Where the car goes depends on your case: insurance type, who was at fault and your insurer’s instructions. Sometimes it goes to an approved assessment center, and sometimes the insurer directs you to a specific workshop or dealer. Confirm the required step before booking transport so the car is not moved twice for nothing.
Assessment centers have working hours and requirements. Some need an online appointment or the car to be present for inspection. If your car cannot drive, ask in advance whether they accept cars arriving by flatbed, what documents they need and whether you must be there.
Many customers move the car from the accident scene to home first, book the assessment at their convenience, then have us take it to the workshop. This takes pressure off the day of the accident and lets you decide calmly.
If the car cannot drive, coordinate with us and the assessment center together. Send your appointment time and the center’s location, and we plan pickup so the car arrives with time to spare, since Jeddah’s rush-hour traffic can delay any trip. If the center keeps the car for a while or finishes quickly and asks you to collect it, we agree from the start whether we wait or come back later.
When do you need a tow truck for assessment instead of driving?
Some minor accidents leave the car safe to drive, while others make driving dangerous for you and others. This table covers common cases. The final decision depends on your own assessment and the authority’s instructions:
| Car condition after the accident | Usually safe to drive? | Why the flatbed is better |
|---|---|---|
| Light scratch or bumper dent, nothing else affected | Usually yes, carefully | No tow needed unless the bumper hangs and scrapes the road |
| Broken headlight or hanging bumper | Risky, especially at night | The bumper may fall off and lighting is reduced |
| Bent wheel, damaged control arm or shock | No | Steering becomes unpredictable and the tyre may burst |
| Coolant or oil leak | No | The engine overheats quickly and can be damaged |
| Airbags deployed | Usually not | The impact was likely strong with hidden damage |
| Car will not start or move | No | It needs winching onto the flatbed |
| Damaged electric or hybrid car | Do not try | The battery and drive system need transport with all wheels off the ground |
How we load a damaged car whose wheels do not turn
The hardest jobs are when a wheel is broken or bent, the gearbox is locked or the front bumper is pushed into the tyre. The car cannot climb onto the flatbed by itself, so we use the winch and a slow loading method. These are the steps we usually follow:
Why not use a rope or drag it along the ground? An accident car often has a wheel that will not turn or a damaged steering link. Dragging it scrapes the tyre and rim, can break already damaged suspension parts and changes the damage before the assessor sees it. On a hydraulic flatbed the car is fully on the bed, and the damage arrives exactly as it was.
1. Inspect the car and the spot
We check where the damage is, any fluid leaks, loose parts that could fall and whether the wheels turn or are locked, then choose the best loading angle.
2. Tilt and lower the bed
Our hydraulic flatbed tilts and lowers its end close to the ground, so the ramp angle is gentle and the underside does not scrape.
3. Attach the winch to a strong point
We use the towing eye or a solid chassis point, never the bumper or damaged parts that could tear off.
4. Pull slowly and watch
We winch the car up step by step, watching the damaged wheel and bumper so nothing gets worse on the way up.
5. Secure on four points
We secure the car with straps and chains on four points and make sure loose parts are fastened or placed inside the car.
6. Transport and deliver with photos
We drive steadily on Jeddah’s roads, deliver to the assessment center or workshop and photograph the car at handover.
Common transport scenarios after accidents in Jeddah
Every accident is different, but most requests we get after accidents fall into one of these scenarios:
From the scene to home
Once on-site procedures are done, we take the car to your home or a safe parking spot, and you book assessment when it suits you.
From home to the assessment center
On the appointment day we take the car from your parking to the center, then wait or return later as agreed.
From assessment to the workshop
After assessment we move the car to the workshop or dealer you choose, or the one your insurer named, inside Jeddah.
From a building basement
A damaged car that made it into the basement and cannot get out? We handle ramps and tight spaces with the winch and care.
From a highway
On Al Haramain Road or King Abdulaziz Road we load the car quickly and safely and get it out of the traffic lane.
Luxury or low cars
We take care with the loading angle and tie-down points so nothing is damaged beyond the accident itself.
Mistakes that complicate assessment or repair
From our experience moving accident cars, some small mistakes cause delays or needless disputes. Try to avoid them:
Remember that the assessment center or workshop may ask when the accident happened and how the car was moved. With the report number, photos of the damage at the scene and photos of the car on the flatbed, the picture is clear for everyone.
- Moving the car before taking photos or before the authority allows it, unless you were asked to clear the lane.
- Starting a car with a leak or high temperature again and again to test it.
- Towing the car with a rope behind another car while the damaged wheel scrapes the road.
- Fixing anything before assessment, even refitting a bumper, because the assessor needs to see the damage as it is.
- Throwing away broken parts at the scene. Keep the headlight or bumper if you can, as it may be requested.
- Taking the car to a workshop before confirming with your insurer where it should go.
Procedures change: follow the official channels
Traffic and insurance services in Saudi Arabia are developing fast, and many steps that once needed a visit are now electronic. That is why we do not list fees, appointment times or office addresses here. They can change, and we would rather not give you outdated information. The right references are Najm’s website, app and official channels, the traffic police channels and your insurance company.
If you have a legal question about liability or compensation, ask the relevant authority or a qualified professional. Our job is transport, and we try to make that part as easy as possible for you.
A practical tip: before booking a tow, open the Najm app or website and check the report status, whether it has been issued and whether any step is needed from you. Then call your insurer and confirm where the car should go. That way the tow goes to the right place the first time.
Book a tow after an accident with Satha Alam
If you need a tow truck for assessment or to move a damaged car inside Jeddah, call or WhatsApp us on 058 056 4950, any time day or night, including Fridays and Eid.
Send your live location, the car type, photos of the damage and the destination, whether home, the assessment center or the workshop. We give you a clear price before we move. Our arrival time depends on your location and traffic, and we give you an honest estimate.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I move the car from the scene before the Najm report?
How much is a tow truck for assessment in Jeddah?
Can you move a damaged car with a broken wheel?
Do you contact the insurer or Najm for me?
Where should the car go after the accident, assessment or workshop?
Do you move electric cars after an accident?
Can you take the damaged car to another city?
What should I send so you can come quickly?
About Satha Alam
Satha Alam provides car towing and transport in Jeddah. 10+ years in Saudi Arabia, 19,000+ vehicles towed safely and 94% customer satisfaction. Available for you 24 hours a day.
Our tow truck services in Jeddah
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Car stuck? Let us pick it up now
Call us or send your location on WhatsApp. We will tell you the price and arrival time in minutes. The Satha Alam team is ready day and night.