The law requires you to report your accident immediately but only in some circumstances. Therefore, the consequences of not reporting an accident vary. In Florida, there is no requirement of 24 hours to report an accident.
Have you been involved in an automobile crash and forgot to report it? If so, continue to read this blog post.
It discusses when you need to report your accident immediately, what happens if you don’t report it, and everything else you need to know about reporting accidents.
When Does the Law Require You to Report Your Accident Immediately in Florida?
The driver of a vehicle has the responsibility to report the accident immediately to law enforcement in the following circumstances:
- The crash involved injury to someone
- The crash resulted in the death of someone
- The accident caused damage of at least $500 to a vehicle or any other property
- The other driver fled the scene (Hit and Run)
- You suspect the other driver is impaired (DUI crash)
- The accident involved a commercial motor vehicle, such as an Uber or Lyft vehicle, a truck, or a bus
However, if the driver sustained severe injuries, the passengers are responsible for reporting the accident to law enforcement. If the driver and passengers sustained severe injuries, the Florida law doesn’t require any of them to report the crash immediately.
Typically, in case of a grave accident, the people nearby should call 911 and report the accident to law enforcement.
Additionally, the law provides you an additional ten days if the crash is not too serious and you didn’t immediately report the accident.
You can report the accident online by completing a Driver Report of a Traffic Crash or Driver Exchange of Information. The fee for reporting an accident online is $10.
You can also report the accident in person by filling out the form and submitting it at the address provided in the form.
You need to provide your basic details and information relating to the accident in the Driver Report of Traffic Crash, such as:
- Date and time of the crash
- The county where the crash occurred
- Place or city of crash
- Vehicle make
- Type of vehicle: car, truck, etc.
- Insurance company name
- Insurance policy number
- Your name, age, address
- Your driving license number
You should correctly fill in all the information in the Driver Report of Traffic Crash.
What Happens if You Don’t Report Your Accident When the Law Requires You To?
The consequences are not severe for not reporting your accident when the law requires you to. You commit a traffic infraction offense by failing to do so.
Traffic infractions are minor and noncriminal traffic offenses. They are punishable as a nonmoving violation and have a penalty of $30.
However, do not confuse this with fleeing the scene, which is a hit and run. It doesn’t matter how minor the collision is, fleeing the scene is a severe crime. The law requires you to stay at the scene of the accident.
It’s a second-degree Misdemeanor if the crash results in property damage without bodily injury and either driver flees the scene. Second-degree Misdemeanor is punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in prison.
Why Should You Report Your Accident to Law Enforcement?
It gives you a crucial piece of evidence in the form of a police report that helps you throughout the legal process of getting compensation:
- You need it for filing your claim with the insurance company. Otherwise, they can easily deny your compensation claim and the occurrence of your accident
- The information in the police report helps protect your rights when the defendant’s insurer tries to deny your claim.
- It also helps deny the defendant’s claims if your case goes to trial
Conclusion
When your accident is minor and doesn’t result in bodily injuries or property damage of at least $500, the law doesn’t require you to report it to law enforcement. However, if those circumstances are present, you should report it to law enforcement.
However, it is smart to report an accident to law enforcement no matter the circumstances. It makes your accident case strong and helps you recover the compensation you deserve.
If you have been involved in an accident and are wondering what to do to recover maximum compensation, consult your case with experienced accident lawyers in Florida. They understand the Florida legal system and the tactics of insurance companies.
