Crashes, insurance and registration in Idaho

By the end of this topic you can

• You can follow the correct steps after a crash.
• You can say when a crash must be reported to police.
• You can state Idaho's minimum liability insurance limits.
• You can describe how a new resident registers a vehicle.

What you need to know and understand

• Report to police any crash causing injury, or property damage over $1,500.
• Idaho's Quick Clearance law: on an interstate or major divided highway, if no one is hurt or killed, move vehicles to the shoulder, median or emergency lane.
• If you hit an unattended vehicle or property, try to find the owner, or leave a note with your name and phone number.
• Leaving the scene of a crash can lead to license suspension.
• Minimum liability insurance: $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more, and $15,000 for property damage.
• Idaho checks insurance electronically, and failure to carry insurance can lead to suspension.

At the crash scene

Idaho's Good Samaritan law protects people who help in good faith from civil liability. Giving false information after a crash can be a misdemeanor.

1. Stop as close to the scene as you can without blocking traffic.
2. Check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt or damage is serious.
3. Give reasonable help. Do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger, such as fire.
4. Move vehicles out of traffic if they are a hazard and no one is injured.
5. Exchange names, addresses, license numbers and insurance details, and note witnesses' names and addresses.
6. Report the crash to police if there is injury or more than $1,500 of damage.

Insurance and uninsured drivers

Your policy must come from an insurer admitted in Idaho, and you need valid proof of insurance in the car, which is also checked before a skills test. If you are hit by an uninsured driver who will not pay a court judgment, ITD may suspend that driver's privileges until you are paid, for up to six years.

Titling and registering a vehicle

New residents must title and register their vehicles within 30 days of moving to Idaho, even if the old registration has not expired. Take the vehicle to a county DMV office for a VIN inspection, with the current title and registration and your ID. Plates are made to order and mailed, so allow about 6 weeks. Idaho does not require annual safety inspections, but police can cite you for unsafe or missing equipment.

Common mistakes

• Driving away after a minor bump with a parked car without leaving your details.
• Leaving damaged cars blocking a freeway lane when nobody is hurt.
• Moving an injured person who is not in immediate danger.
• Letting insurance lapse. Idaho verifies coverage electronically.

Test yourself: Crashes, insurance and registration in Idaho

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Idaho GDL Rules and the Supervised Instruction Permit
• Idaho Permit Test
• Idaho Parent-Led Driver Training