Accidents and Financial Responsibility

You must stop if you are involved in an accident. Someone could be injured and may need your help. If you don't stop, you may be convicted of a "hit-and-run" and be severely punished.

If anyone is hurt, you need to call law enforcement immediately, or the Virginia State Police.

Show your driver's license, registration card, evidence of financial responsibility, and current address to the other driver or persons involved, or to any peace officer. If your evidence of financial responsibility is insurance, you must be able to provide the company name and address as well as the policy number.

The driver or his or her insurance agent, broker, or legal representative must make the following report:

• If someone is killed or injured, you need to report the accident to the police or Virginia State Police immediately.

Exchange information with other people involved in the crash as soon as possible. Be sure to get the following information:

• Name, address, and driver's license number of the other drivers;
• License plate numbers of the other vehicles;
• The name and address of anyone who was injured;
• The name and address of each witness;
• The name, address and insurance policy number of the other vehicle owners.

If you hit a parked vehicle or another form of property, try to find the owner. If you cannot find the owner, leave a note with your name and address (and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle you are driving). Report the accident without delay to the police or to the Virginia State Police.

If you have parked a vehicle and it rolls away, hitting another vehicle, find the owner and report the incident to the authorities in the same way.

If you kill or injure an animal, pull over to the side of the road and stop. Try to find the owner. If you cannot find the owner, call the nearest humane society or call the local law enforcement office or Virginia State Police. Do not try to move an injured animal, but never leave an injured animal to die; it is inhumane and cruel.

Financial Responsibility

Virginia's Financial Responsibility Law requires every driver and every owner of a motor vehicle to maintain financial responsibility for it at all times. There are four forms of financial responsibility:

• Coverage by a motor vehicle liability insurance policy.
• A deposit of money or securities with the DMV.
• A bond that has been duly executed.
• A DMV-issued self-insurance certificate.

You must carry written evidence of financial responsibility whenever you drive. If you cannot show this evidence to a peace officer after a citation, stop, or accident, you may have to pay a fine and the court may impound your vehicle.

If you do not have acceptable proof of financial responsibility and are involved in an accident, you may have your driver's license taken away for up to four years.

Insurance

State law says you must be financially responsible for your actions whenever you drive and for all motor vehicles you own. It is illegal to drive without being financially responsible. The most common form of financial responsibility is an automobile liability insurance policy. If you have an accident that is not covered by your insurance, your license will be suspended. If the driver is not identified, the owner of the motor vehicle involved in the accident will have his or her license suspended.

Before you can register a vehicle in Virginia, you must certify that your vehicle is insured by a company authorized to do business in Virginia. Your insurance policy must provide the following liability insurance coverage:

• $25,000 for injury or death of one person;
• $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people;
• $20,000 for property damage.

If your vehicle is not insured, you must pay a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee. This does not provide insurance coverage, but allows you to operate the vehicle in Virginia for a one-year period.

Many lawsuits are settled for much more money than the minimum amounts set by the Financial Responsibility Law. You are liable for any additional damages over and above what your insurance company will pay.

At Web Traffic School, we are convinced that driver attitude and responsibility are the keys to safe driving. Your time here will have been well spent if you put the lessons of the course into practice behind the wheel. An aware driver is a safe driver, and a safe driver is one who avoids tickets, court, and collisions.