California car accident guides

Plain-English guides to what California law requires after a crash, with links to the official sources. General information, not legal advice.

• What to do at the scene

  Stopping, helping anyone who's hurt, the information you have to swap, and the reports due within 24 hours and 10 days, all tied to the Vehicle Code.

• SR-1 report to the DMV

  The 10-day DMV report that's required after any injury crash, no matter how minor, and after crashes with more than $1,000 in damage. Here's who files it and what happens if you don't.

• Getting a copy of the crash report

  Who can get the CHP or police report (VC §20012), how the CHP's online portal and CHP 190 form work, and where the big city police departments take requests.

• MedPay (Medical Payments coverage)

  The optional coverage on your own auto policy that pays crash medical bills no matter who was at fault, and how it fits with health insurance, Medi-Cal, Medicare and UM.

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)

  When your own policy pays for your injuries because the other driver had no insurance, too little, or drove off, and the hit-and-run, consent, and 2-year rules in Insurance Code §11580.2.

• Claims against a government agency

  If a city bus, county truck, state vehicle or dangerous public road was involved, a written claim is usually due within 6 months, before you can sue. Here's how the Government Claims Act works.

• Injury statute of limitations

  The 2-year rule for injury lawsuits, the extra time minors get (and when they don't), and the shorter deadlines for government claims and uninsured motorist claims.

• Who pays your medical bills

  Health insurance, MedPay, the at-fault driver's insurer, Medi-Cal and Medicare, plus the California rules that cap hospital and health plan liens on an injury recovery.

• Do you need a police report?

  When the Vehicle Code requires a report within 24 hours, when a minor crash doesn't need one, and why a hit-and-run victim should report within 24 hours no matter what.

Looking for an agency or court? See the resource directory.