A California driver involved in a crash that injures or kills anyone must stop immediately (Vehicle Code section 20001), exchange identifying, registration, and owner information (section 20003), and give reasonable help to anyone injured. A crash with injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage must be reported to the DMV within 10 days (section 16000). Our office is open 24/7 and calls are answered at (619) 525-7007.

Reviewed by Vikas Bajaj, Attorney at Law

This page explains the legal duties that apply after any collision on a California road. Each practice page on this site links here and covers the evidence that matters for its own type of crash.

California law explained: duties at the scene

  • Injury or death: stop at once and satisfy sections 20003 and 20004 (Vehicle Code section 20001). Leaving can be punished as a felony or misdemeanor, with higher penalties for death or permanent, serious injury.
  • Property damage only: stop and give your name, address, and registration to the other driver, or leave a written note on an unattended vehicle and notify police (Vehicle Code section 20002).
  • Information and help: give your name, current residence address, the names and addresses of injured occupants, your registration number, and the owner’s name and address, show your license on request, and render reasonable assistance, including transport for medical treatment if it is needed or requested (section 20003).
  • Death with no one present: if no police officer is at the scene, report the crash without delay to the nearest office of the California Highway Patrol or local police (Vehicle Code section 20004).

Reports after the scene

Section 16000 requires the driver to report the crash to the DMV within 10 days on the DMV SR-1 form when anyone is injured or killed or property damage to any one person exceeds $1,000, whether or not the driver was at fault. Within 24 hours of an injury crash, the driver must also make or cause to be made a written report to the CHP or, inside a city, to the CHP or city police (Vehicle Code section 20008).

Proof of insurance

Every driver and owner must be able to show financial responsibility at all times and must carry evidence of it in the vehicle (Vehicle Code section 16020). For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, the minimum liability limits are $30,000 for one person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage (Vehicle Code section 16056). Low limits are one reason uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matters.

Legislative history

  • Section 20001 was last amended by Stats. 2007, ch. 747, effective January 1, 2008.
  • Section 20002 was last amended by Stats. 2001, ch. 825, effective January 1, 2002.
  • Section 20003 was last amended by Stats. 1994, ch. 1247, effective January 1, 1995, and section 20004 dates to the 1959 recodification of the Vehicle Code (Stats. 1959, ch. 3).
  • Section 16020 was last amended by Stats. 2022, ch. 295 (AB 2956). The minimum limits in section 16056 were raised by SB 1107 (Stats. 2022, ch. 717), effective January 1, 2025.

History lines were checked on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov on November 2, 2026. Section 16000 has more than one version on leginfo because of a scheduled change, so read the version in effect on the date of your crash.

Records worth keeping

  • The other driver’s name, license, plate, and insurer, plus witness names and phone numbers
  • Photos of vehicles, the road, signals, skid marks, and visible injuries
  • The police report number and the agency that took it
  • Your SR-1 copy and every medical record from the first visit onward

Questions about duties after a crash

Do I have to stop if I hit a parked car?

Yes. Vehicle Code section 20002 requires the driver to stop and either find the owner or leave a written note with a name and address, and then notify police.

When must I file an SR-1 with the DMV?

Within 10 days if anyone was hurt or killed, or if property damage to any one person was more than $1,000 (Vehicle Code section 16000).

Must I help someone who was hurt?

A driver in an injury crash must give reasonable assistance, including arranging transport for medical treatment when it is needed or requested (Vehicle Code section 20003).

What happens if a driver leaves an injury crash?

Leaving the scene of a crash that caused injury is a crime under Vehicle Code section 20001, and the penalties increase for serious injury or death.

What information do drivers have to exchange?

Name, address, driver’s license number, vehicle registration, and evidence of financial responsibility such as an insurance card (Vehicle Code section 16025).

Related explainers

Injury Trial Lawyers, 2150 First Avenue, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92101. Our office is open 24/7 and calls are answered at (619) 525-7007.

This page is general information about California law, not legal advice. Last reviewed November 2, 2026; next review November 30, 2026.

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