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After a car accident in the US: stop, check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt, move out of traffic if you can, exchange license, registration and insurance details, and report the crash to police and your state DMV if your state requires it. Leaving the scene can be a crime. This checklist is for new drivers and their parents, with California and New York as worked examples of state reporting rules.
Key facts
- You must stop after any crash you are involved in. New York says “The level of damage does not matter.”
- If anyone is injured or killed, police must be told: immediately in New York, and within 24 hours in California.
- California and New York both require a DMV report within 10 days for crashes with injury, death or property damage above a set amount (as of November 2026: over $1,000 in California, $1,000 or more in New York).
- Reporting thresholds and deadlines differ by state. Check your state DMV.
- Driving without insurance can cost you your license. In California, a crash without coverage can mean a suspension of up to four years.
At the scene: step-by-step checklist
- Stop. Pull over as near the scene as safely possible. Turn on your hazard lights.
- Check for injuries. Call 911 right away if anyone is hurt.
- Make the scene safe. If no one is hurt and the cars can move, California says move your vehicle out of traffic, then call 911.
- Exchange information. California says show your driver’s license, vehicle registration card, insurance information and current address to the other driver, police and others involved.
- Write down what you can: names and phone numbers, plate numbers, insurance company and policy numbers, the location, time, road and weather conditions, and witness contact details.
- Take photos of the vehicles, damage, plates and the scene, if safe.
- Talk to police if they attend. Stick to the facts.
- Tell your insurer as soon as you can.
Do you have to report a crash? State examples
| Rule | California | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Report to police | Within 24 hours if anyone is injured or killed | Immediately if anyone is injured or killed |
| Report to DMV | Form SR 1 within 10 days if damage is over $1,000 or anyone is injured (even slightly) or killed | Within 10 days if anyone is injured or killed, or property damage to any one person is $1,000 or more |
| Who files | Each driver, whoever was at fault, including crashes on private property. Police do not file it for you. | Each driver involved who meets the conditions |
| Penalty for not filing | License suspension possible | Check with the NY DMV |
Other states set their own dollar thresholds, deadlines and forms. Check your state DMV website before you need it, and keep the form name in your glovebox with your insurance card.
Hitting a parked car, property or an animal
- Parked car or property: try to find the owner. If you cannot, leave a note with your name, phone number and address firmly attached, and report it to police (California).
- Domestic animal injured: try to find the owner or notify police (New York).
- Any animal: California says call the humane society or police, and do not try to move an injured animal.
What not to do
- Do not leave the scene. In New York it is a criminal offense to leave the scene of a crash involving injury or death. In California, leaving the scene is a hit-and-run with severe penalties.
- Do not argue about fault at the scene. Let the police and insurers handle it.
- Do not skip the DMV report because the police came. In California, police do not file the DMV report for you.
Insurance after a crash
You must show proof of insurance if asked (New York), and California requires drivers to carry proof of financial responsibility every time they drive. If you were in a crash without insurance in California, your license can be suspended for up to four years regardless of fault. For coverage types and state minimums, see car insurance for new drivers.
Common questions
Do I need to call the police for a minor accident?
State laws differ when no one is hurt. California and New York require police to be told if anyone is injured or killed. Your DMV report may still be required for property damage.
What if the other driver has no insurance?
Get their details anyway and tell your insurer. Uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it, may help. New York requires it on every policy.
I am a permit driver. What changes after a crash?
The same stop-and-report rules apply. Ask your state DMV whether the crash affects your permit or license progress, and see points systems and license suspensions.
Do I have to report a crash in a parking lot?
In California, yes, if it meets the SR 1 conditions: the rule covers private property too. Check your state.
What if I was not at fault?
In California, each driver must file the SR 1 whether or not they caused the crash.
Should I stay in my car on a freeway?
California says if you must stop on a freeway, get completely off the pavement and stay in your vehicle with your doors locked until help arrives, unless it is unsafe. See freeway driving for new drivers.
Related: move over laws and seat belt and child car seat laws. All national guides: learning to drive in the USA.
Sources
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 10: Financial Responsibility, Insurance Requirements, and Collisions” and “Section 6: Navigating the Roads (Continued)” (dmv.ca.gov)
- New York DMV, “Driver’s Manual” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York State Department of Financial Services, “Auto Insurance” (dfs.ny.gov)