California Car Accident Laws – 15 Steps to Take After a Crash

What you do after a car accident in California can determine whether you get your medical bills, car repairs and pain and suffering damages paid. Even if you were partly at fault for a California car accident, the steps you take afterward can greatly affect your rights and jeopardize your driver’s license.

Below our California auto accident attorneys elaborate on these 15 steps to take if you are in an auto accident in California:

1. Remain at the scene of the car accident

If someone was injured or killed, remain at the accident scene until the police come unless you need immediate medical assistance.

Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury could get you charged with a hit-and-run. Penalties can include a fine of up to $10,000 and up to one year in jail (more if the injury is serious or someone dies).¹

If the other involved driver(s) fled the scene, contact the police to track them down. Though if the at-fault driver is never found, you may still be able to recover damages from your own insurer if you have

• uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UMC/UIM),
• Med Pay, and/or
• comprehensive and collision coverage.²

2. Seek medical attention if needed

If you were injured and need immediate medical assistance, do not wait for the police.

Call 911 or ask someone else to call for you. If someone else is taking you to the Emergency Room, make sure you leave your contact information with the other driver(s) first if you are able.

3. Move to a safe area

If it is safe to do so, you have the obligation to move your car to the shoulder or somewhere else safe. Cars that are blocking traffic can result in further injuries to you or other people.

However, you should leave the cars where they are if moving them would be dangerous.

You should also leave the cars where they are and wait for law enforcement if someone was killed or seriously injured, unless the cars pose a significant hazard.

4. Record information about the other vehicle

Once you have moved the cars (if appropriate) and/or sought medical attention for those injured, write down or photograph:

• The license plate number of every other vehicle involved in the accident,
• The year, make, model and color of the other vehicle(s), and
• If possible, the other vehicle(s)’ Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

You will need this information in order to report the accident as legally required to the California DMV.

The VIN is usually listed on a driver’s insurance card and registration. Still, it is a good idea to confirm it physically, especially if the driver is uninsured.

Do not, however, attempt to get the VIN number from the other driver’s vehicle if the driver won’t cooperate.

You can find the VIN:

• On the driver’s side dashboard (where it meets the windshield), and
• Inside the driver’s side door (where the door latches when it is closed).

On a motorcycle, the VIN usually appears on the left side of the steering head.

5. Exchange contact info with other drivers and witnesses

Ask to see the other driver’s license, insurance information and registration. If you can, take a photo of these documents. Otherwise, write down the numbers.

You should also, if possible, get contact information from everyone else who was involved in, or who witnessed the accident. If a law enforcement officer came to the scene, get the officer’s name and write it down as well.

Be sure to provide your info to the other driver, regardless of who was at fault.

Note that if police ask, you must show them

• your driver’s license,
• insurance, and
• registration.

Otherwise, you could face fines.

6. DO NOT ADMIT FAULT!

It is extremely important not to admit to any wrongdoing even if you think the accident was your fault.

You may be wrong. Or the other driver may be partially to blame. Or the problem could be

• bad road design,
• highway construction negligence, and
• negligence from the car manufacturer or service provider.

Even apologizing can be misconstrued and keep you from getting the compensatory damages you need from your or the other driver’s insurance company.

California’s “shared fault / pure comparative negligence” law allows you to recover damages for a car crash even if you were partly to blame. Your damages would just be reduced by your apportionment of fault.³

7. Do not say you are not hurt

Even if you think you were not injured in the car crash, do not tell that to the other driver.

Soft-tissue injuries are not always immediately apparent. Saying you are not hurt gives the other driver’s insurance company an excuse to deny your claim or offer you less than it is worth.

8. Leave your contact info if the other vehicle or property is unoccupied

If you hit an unoccupied vehicle or other property, California law requires you to do one of two things:

• Locate the owner and present them with your driver’s license and registration, or
• Leave a written note with your name and address in a conspicuous place on the vehicle or property and promptly notify either:
  • The police department of the city wherein the collision occurred or,
  • If the collision occurred in unincorporated territory, the local headquarters of the Department of the California Highway Patrol.

By law, a note must include the circumstances. However, it should say as little as possible.

Make sure you note the address where the collision happened so that you can report it.

9. Take photos of the accident scene

If you are able to do so safely, photos of the scene of the accident and the vehicles involved can help your lawyer or adjuster determine what happened. Try to photograph all of the vehicle damage and any bodily injury.

It can also prevent someone from claiming that you are responsible for any damage the vehicle or property later sustains.

If it is not safe to take photos of the accident scene, or if you had to leave to seek medical help, return as soon as you are able if there is a safe place to take photos.

10. Make a record of your version of the accident right away

As soon as is practical, write down everything you can think of about the accident, no matter how unimportant it may seem.

Details will fade along with the shock of the accident, so the sooner you record your impressions, the better.

Things to write down or record include (but are not limited to):

• The time and date of the accident,
• The cross streets and direction of travel of each vehicle,
• Your best estimate of each driver’s speed,
• The color of any traffic lights that were visible, and
• Any adverse road conditions (such as potholes or bad weather).

11. Document your injuries

Take, or have someone else take, photographs of any visible injuries with your phone or camera. As soon as you can, also write down or record your own impressions of what hurts or is damaged.

The more evidence of your injuries that is documented, the better your chance of your personal injury attorney getting you the recovery you deserve.

No less important is the emotional distress collisions can cause, leading to major mental and psychological damage – even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

12. Report the accident

California law requires you to notify the California Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days of an accident if:

• Anyone was killed,
• Anyone was injured (even if the injury was minor), or
• The accident resulted in more than $1,000 of damage.⁴

If you are not certain, make the accident report anyway, especially if you will be putting the claim through your California auto insurance.

Accidents must be reported to the DMV on California DMV Form SR1. You will need to provide the following information:

• The name, address, birthday, and driver’s license information of you and other involved drivers,
• Insurance information (policy number, expiration date, and insurance company) of you and other involved drivers, and
• Details of the accident, including date, time, location, injuries, and damages.

Please see our article on reportable collision – When must an accident be reported to the DMV?

Failure to report an accident to the DMV can result in the suspension of your driver’s license for up to one year.⁴

Note that if police do not arrive at the scene of the accident, you have 24 hours to submit a written crash report to the local police or California Highway Patrol if the accident caused a fatality or injuries.⁵

13. Or don’t report the accident, if it is safe not to

The one time it makes sense not to report an accident is if

• no other driver was involved and
• your car sustained only minor damage which you can live with or are willing to pay out-of-pocket to repair.

For instance, let’s say you damaged your car by backing into or scraping a wall and

• You do not have collision insurance,
• You have collision insurance coverage but the cost of repairs is close to your deductible level or an amount you can easily afford.

In such a case car accident victims may choose to leave their car “as is” or pay for the repairs out of pocket.

14. Notify your insurance company

Many people do not file a car accident claim in California for fear their rates will go up. California is one of only two states that legally prohibit auto insurers from raising rates if an accident is not the policyholder’s fault. (The other state is Oklahoma.)

Furthermore, most auto insurance policies require motorists to report an accident promptly to have a viable insurance claim.

Even if the accident was your fault, it is usually best to report it. The other party may report it (even if the driver says they won’t), putting you at risk of

• a suspended driver’s license as well as
• canceled car insurance.

Early reporting also gives your insurer a better chance to defend your injury claim in a car accident case.

California’s car insurance laws are fault-based, so crash victims would file claims with the at-fault party’s insurer.⁶

Insurance requirements

Note that every motorist in California must carry at least:

• $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person,
• $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and
• $5,000 of property damage liability. (This is abbreviated 15/30/5 coverage.)

Driving without insurance is an infraction. A first-time conviction carries:

• $100 to $200 in fines,
• vehicle impoundment, and
• suspension of your license.⁷

You are required to produce proof of insurance anytime you are in an accident, renew your registration, or when a police officer asks to see it (such as during a traffic stop).

15. Consider retaining a California personal injury lawyer

If you have been injured in a car crash, you usually have only a two-year statute of limitations after the crash to bring a personal injury lawsuit in California. If there is only property damage, then the statute of limitations is three years after the accident.

You are encouraged to retain an experienced California car accident attorney as soon as possible to help protect your rights and evaluate all the evidence – including the police report – to determine whether you have a right to compensation.

An experienced lawyer may also be able to help you find a doctor who will accept a medical lien in California if you cannot afford to pay for treatment. Your lawyer can also draft an insurance demand letter that is likely to get a settlement offer that may cover your damages.

Finally, a good California injury lawyer knows all the insurance companies’ tricks and understands the insurance code. Your lawyer can save you the headache of dealing with your own and the other person(s)’ adjuster(s).⁸

Possible money damages

Your personal injury attorney fights for compensatory damages to make up for all of your losses incurred by the car crash. Compensatory damages can be classified as “economic” and “non-economic.”

Economic damages are easy to calculate with verifiable proof such as receipts, bills, body shop estimates, etc. Economic damages include:

• Existing medical bills and future medical expenses,
• Disability accommodations,
• Lost income and employment/business opportunities, past and future, and
• Property damage, including repairing or replacing the vehicle.

Non-economic damages refer to non-monetary injuries which are more difficult to calculate. They include subjective losses such as:

• Pain and suffering,
• Mental anguish,
• Loss of enjoyment of life,
• Humiliation,
• Inconvenience,
• Loss of consortium, and
• Reputational harm.

Note that you may not recover non-economic damages if you:

• do not satisfy California’s financial responsibility requirements (such as by not carrying insurance); or
• you are convicted of drunk driving or drugged driving (DUI).

Unlike compensatory damages, punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for their behavior. If your case goes to trial and you win, you can ask the court to award you punitive damages if you can show the defendant was:

• oppressive,
• malicious, or
• fraudulent.

If your loved one died in a car accident, see our related article on bringing a wrongful death lawsuit. The victim’s family or estate may be able to recover damages for loss of support and burial/funeral expenses.⁹

Additional resources

Refer to our related articles by our California car accident lawyers:

• Hit by a DUI Driver? How to Sue for Money Damages
• Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in California – A Legal Guide
• Trucking Accident Lawsuit – How to Bring a Claim for Damages
• Lawsuits for SUV Rollover Accidents
• E-bike Accident Lawsuit – How to Bring a Claims
• Pedestrian Hit By Car in California – How to Bring a Lawsuit
• Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage in California

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