California injury laws
Vehicle Code § 20001: the duty to stop after an injury crash
A driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone other than the driver must stop immediately at the scene and meet the duties the Vehicle Code sets out, such as exchanging information and helping the injured. When a driver flees, the injured person may still have options, including uninsured motorist coverage under their own policy.
What the law says
A driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone other than the driver must stop immediately at the scene and meet the duties the Vehicle Code sets out, such as exchanging information and helping the injured.
Official text (excerpt)
The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident
Read the full section on the official site
Why it matters in an injury claim
When a driver flees, the injured person may still have options, including uninsured motorist coverage under their own policy. Reporting the hit-and-run promptly to law enforcement helps both the criminal case and the insurance claim.
Related pages
- Car accidentsCollisions on Riverside County freeways and streets.
- Pedestrian accidentsPeople on foot struck by vehicles.
- Insurance Code § 11580.2Uninsured motorist coverage
- Printable crash checklistWhat to do at the scene and in the days after, with legal duties.
- Crash explorerInteractive map and charts of every injury crash since 2016.
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