Article 1 - Accident Reports

California Vehicle Code — §§ 16000-16005

Sections (9)

Repealed (in Sec. 28) and added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 29. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016. Section operative January 1, 2017, by its own provisions.

(a)The driver of a motor vehicle who is in any manner involved in an accident originating from the operation of the motor vehicle on a street or highway, or is involved in a reportable off-highway accident, as defined in Section 16000.1, that has resulted in damage to the property of any one person in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or in bodily injury, or in the death of any person shall report the accident, within 10 days after the accident, either personally or through an insurance agent, broker, or legal representative, on a form approved by the department, to the office of the department at Sacramento, subject to this chapter. The driver shall identify on the form, by name and current residence address, if available, any person

involved in the accident complaining of bodily injury.

(b)A report is not required under subdivision (a) if the motor vehicle involved in the accident was owned or leased by, or under the direction of, the United States, this state, another state, or a local agency.

(c)If none of the parties involved in an accident has reported the accident to the department under this section within one year following the date of the accident, the department is not required to file a report on the accident and the driver’s license suspension requirements of Section 16004 or 16070 do not apply.

(d)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.

§ 16000.1

Repealed (in Sec. 30) and added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 31. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016. Section operative January 1, 2017, by its own provisions.

(a)For purposes of this division, a “reportable off-highway accident” means an accident that includes all of the following:

(1)Occurs off the street or highway.

(2)Involves a vehicle that is subject to registration under this code.

(3)Results in damages to the property of any one person in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or in bodily injury or in the death of any person.

(b)A “reportable off-highway accident” does not include any accident that occurs off-highway in which damage

occurs only to the property of the driver or owner of the motor vehicle and no bodily injury or death of a person occurs.

(c)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.

§ 16000.7

Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 549.

As used in this division an “uninsured motor vehicle” is a motor vehicle for which financial responsibility as provided in Section 16021 was not in effect at the time of the accident.

§ 16000.8

Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1155, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1997.

(a)Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the failure of the driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident to prove the existence of financial responsibility, as required by Section 16020, was due to the fraudulent acts of an insurance agent or broker, the department shall terminate any suspension action taken pursuant to Section 16070, when both of the following conditions are met:

(1)The driver provides documentation from the Department of Insurance that the insurance agent or broker has been found to have committed fraud in the transaction of automobile liability insurance, or provides documentation that criminal charges have been filed against the agent or broker due to fraud or theft related to the sale of automobile liability insurances.

(2)The driver furnishes proof to the department that financial responsibility meeting the requirements of Section 16021 is currently in effect.

(b)It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section that individuals who are the victims of insurance fraud not be penalized for violating the financial responsibility laws when that violation was due to the fraudulent acts of others. Persons with documented evidence of fraud involving their insurance coverage, such as where an insurance agent accepted the premium payment for coverage but willfully failed to obtain the coverage and led the customer to believe insurance was in effect, should retain their driving privileges provided they give evidence that valid liability insurance is currently in effect.

§ 16001

Repealed and added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1409.

If the vehicle involved was a driverless runaway vehicle and was parked with the express or implied permission of the registered owner, the registered owner of the vehicle shall be construed to have been the driver of the vehicle for the purposes of this chapter.

§ 16002

Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 84, first Sec. 2. Effective July 19, 2001.

(a)If the driver at the time of the accident was driving a motor vehicle owned, operated, or leased by the employer of the driver and with the permission of the employer, then the driver shall within five days after the accident report the accident to his employer on a form approved by the employer. Within 10 days after receipt of the report the employer shall transmit a report on a form approved by the department to the office of the department at Sacramento, except that an employer need not transmit such report when the vehicle involved in the accident is owned or operated as described in Section 16051 or 16052, or is owned or operated by any person or corporation who has filed with the department a certificate of an insurance carrier or surety company that there is in effect a policy or bond meeting the requirements of Section 16056 and when such policy or bond is in force with respect to the vehicle at the time of the accident.

(b)The driver of a vehicle that is owned or operated by a publicly owned or operated transit system, or that is operated under contract with a publicly owned or operated transit system, and that is used to provide regularly scheduled transportation to the general public or for other official business of the system shall, within 10 days of the occurrence of the accident, report to the transit system any accident of a type otherwise required to be reported pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 16000. The transit system shall maintain records of any report filed pursuant to this paragraph. Within 10 days after receipt of the report, the transit system shall transmit a report on a form approved by the department to the office of the department in Sacramento, except that a transit system is not required to submit a report when the vehicle involved in the accident is owned or operated as described in subdivision (b) of Section 16000.

§ 16003

Repealed and added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1409.

If any driver is physically incapable of making the report, and is not the owner of the motor vehicle involved in the accident, the owner shall, as soon as he learns of the accident, report the matter in writing to the department.

§ 16004

Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 314, Sec. 3. Effective July 17, 1990.

(a)The department shall suspend the driving privilege of any person who fails, refuses, or neglects to make a report of an accident as required in this chapter.

(b)A suspension taken under this section shall remain in effect until terminated by receipt of the report of the accident or upon receipt of evidence that financial responsibility as provided in Section 16021 is in effect.

(c)The driving privilege shall not be suspended under this section, and, if a suspension has been imposed and is in effect under this section, that suspension shall be terminated, if the driving privilege is suspended under Section 16370 or 16381 as the result of a judgment arising out of the same accident for which the report of the accident is required by this section. The department may suspend or reimpose the suspension of the driving privilege of a person under this section if the suspension under Section 16370 or 16381 is later set aside for a reason other than that the person has satisfied the judgment in full or to the extent provided in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16250) and has given proof of financial responsibility, as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 16430).

§ 16005

Repealed and added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1409.

(a)All reports and supplemental reports required by this chapter including insurance information forms shall be without prejudice to the individual so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the department and any other state department requiring such information, except that the department shall upon request disclose from the reports:

(1)The names and addresses of persons involved in the accident.

(2)The registration numbers and descriptions of vehicles involved in the accident.

(3)The date, time, and location of the accident.

(4)Any suspension action taken by the department.

(5)The names and addresses of insurers.

(b)The information specified in subdivision (a) may be given to any person having a proper interest therein, including:

(1)The driver or drivers involved, or the employer, parent, or legal guardian thereof.

(2)The authorized representative of any person involved in the accident.

(3)Any person injured in the accident.

(4)The owners of vehicles or property damaged in the accident.

(5)Any law enforcement agency.

(6)Any court of competent jurisdiction.