Leaving the Scene of an Accident?
What do you do when you hit a car in the parking lot of your favorite supermarket or the parking lot of a huge shopping mall. You barely bumped it, maybe scratched a little bit of paint or left a teeny, little bump. Or maybe you left a big dent. But in any event, you hit it. Most people think leaving a note or a business card on the windshield will be the only thing they have to do. Or maybe some of you think going into the supermarket and leaving a note or telling the store manager is enough. You leave a note, tell someone, or just leave because you did not commit any damage so what's the big deal?
Two weeks go by, you haven't given the incident a minute of your thoughts, but the next you know, there's a police officer at your door, or calling you on the phone to you ask questions about hitting a car in a parking lot and leaving the scene. You answer honestly by saying yes, I was there on this day, at that time, and I bumped into the other person's car, waiting twenty minutes hoping to find the person, I even went into the mall to leave information there. What did I do wrong you ask!
You did not call the police, and you did not file an accident report online with the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)
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Leaving the scene: This applies to any accident involving property damage (regardless of amount), injury, or death. The driver must immediately stop and provide their name, address, license number, registration, insurance details, and occupant info to the other vehicle's driver/owner or any injured party. If the other party is absent or unable to receive the info (e.g., unattended vehicle in a parking lot), it must be given to a police officer at the scene or immediately reported to the nearest police station.
This law applies everywhere, including private parking lots like Target's, as it's not limited to public roads. Waiting 20 minutes without leaving contact info or reporting to police doesn't satisfy this— the offense is committed by leaving without fulfilling the exchange/reporting duty. Penalties for property damage only (no injuries) can include fines up to $1,000–$5,000, license suspension/revocation (3 years for first offense), and possible misdemeanor charges. If injuries were involved (even minor), it could escalate to a felony.DMV reporting: Separately, if there's injury/death or property damage over $1,000, a written report must be filed with the DMV within 15 days (using Form DSMV 400). This is for financial responsibility purposes (e.g., verifying insurance) and is not a substitute for the immediate duties above.If police investigate their report can satisfy the reporting to DMV requirement. Failure to file this report is a separate violation with its own penalties (e.g., fines, suspension).
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Driving without a license is a violation (potentially a misdemeanor if prior offenses), with fines and possible jail time.
- A false statement to police about driving could lead to charges like providing false information or obstruction.
- As a green card holder, any criminal conviction (especially a felony) might impact future naturalization or immigration status, though minor traffic violations typically don't affect residency.