Car accidents
Hit-and-run crashes in Riverside County
California requires a driver involved in a crash that injures someone to stop immediately (Vehicle Code § 20001). If the driver fled, get medical care, report the crash to law enforcement right away, and notify your insurer: uninsured motorist coverage may apply, subject to the physical-contact requirement.
First steps
- Get medical care and call 911 if anyone is hurt.
- Write down everything you remember about the vehicle: color, make, partial plate, damage and direction of travel.
- Report the crash to the agency that covers the location right away. Our crash report guide shows which agency serves each city.
- Look for cameras: businesses, traffic cameras, doorbells and other drivers' dashcams. Footage is often overwritten quickly.
- Notify your insurer promptly and report the crash to the DMV when required (Vehicle Code § 16000).
Uninsured motorist coverage and physical contact
When the driver can't be identified, California's uninsured motorist statute requires, among other conditions, that the injury arose from physical contact with you or the vehicle you were in (Insurance Code § 11580.2). A near-miss that forced you off the road can be treated differently from a collision, so describe exactly what happened.
If the driver is found later
A driver who is identified can be held responsible in a civil claim, separately from any criminal case. The general two-year filing deadline still applies (CCP § 335.1).
Related pages
Hurt in Riverside County?
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