After a Crash
IC 9-26-1-1.1 — stop, stay, exchange information, help the injured, and call it in
- The driver of a vehicle in an accident stops immediately at the scene or as close to it as possible, without blocking traffic more than necessary.
- The driver stays until giving a name, an address and the vehicle's registration number to anyone involved, and shows the driver's license to anyone involved or tending to a vehicle.
- Where someone is hurt or killed, the driver also gives reasonable assistance to each person injured or trapped, as directed by an officer, medical personnel or a 911 operator, and as soon as possible gives notice by the quickest means to the local police, the sheriff or nearest state police post, or 911.
- Where the collision is with an unattended vehicle or other property, the driver takes reasonable steps to find and tell the owner, and failing that contacts law enforcement with the same information.
Who handles this in Indiana: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Indiana directory.
| Knowingly leaving the scene, where the accident | Level |
|---|---|
| Knowingly leaving the scene, where the accidentCauses no injury | LevelClass B misdemeanor |
| Knowingly leaving the scene, where the accidentResults in bodily injury to another person | LevelClass A misdemeanor |
| Knowingly leaving the scene, where the accidentResults in moderate or serious bodily injury | LevelLevel 6 felony |
| Knowingly leaving the scene, where the accidentResults in death or catastrophic injury | LevelLevel 4 felony |
A vehicle that comes to rest in the traveled part of a highway after an accident is moved off it, as soon as safely possible, to a spot as close to the accident as possible, except where the accident involves hazardous materials, an injury, a death or someone trapped in a vehicle. Not moving it is a Class C infraction.
Where the driver is physically unable to help, an occupant who is at least eighteen, or at least fifteen with a learner's permit or license, and able to help, renders reasonable assistance to those injured or trapped. A knowing failure is a Class C misdemeanor.
An officer investigates every motor vehicle accident with an injury, a death, or total property damage apparently of at least $2,500.
Sources for this section (4)
- IC 9-26-1-1.1 — Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in accident; sentencing
- IC 9-26-1-1.2 — Duties of driver of motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in traffic obstruction; violation
- IC 9-26-1-1.5 — Duties of passenger of vehicle involved in accident resulting in injury or entrapment; violation
- IC 9-26-2-1 — Investigation of accidents resulting in injury, death, or property damage of at least $2,500; ensuring operator compliance
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Indiana attorney.