Thousands of vehicular collisions occur every year in the state of California alone. Given the ever-busy streets in the Golden State, especially in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, a car accident resulting in serious injuries, wrongful death, or property damage can happen to anyone.
If you or a loved one gets involved in an accident, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires you to fill out an SR-1 form. In this article, we answer the question: what is an SR-1 form and when do you need it?
When Do You Need to Fill Out an SR-1 Form?
What exactly is an SR-1 form, and when do you need it? California law requires anyone who suffers a major car accident within its jurisdiction to fill out an SR-1 form with the DMV within ten days of the incident.
This requirement transcends liability, insurance policies, vehicle registration, and traffic accident reports. This means you will have to fill out the form if:
- You are the driver at fault
- You do not have the necessary auto insurance
- Your vehicle registration and driver’s license are not up to date
- There is no traffic accident report
- There IS a traffic accident report, and authorities were at the scene of the accident
SR-1 Form Filing Exceptions
Do you need to fill out the DMV SR-1 form for every car accident that occurs? The answer to this question is NO.
According to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), if property damage is below $1000, or the incident happened on the driver’s private property, and no one suffered any personal injury or wrongful death, then filling out the SR-1 self report form is no longer required. In other words, you will have to fill out an SR-1 form only if:
- Property damage costs $1000 and above
- Any member of the parties involved in the car accident sustained bodily injury
- Any member of the involved parties dies from the injuries sustained in the car accident
Filling Out The DMV SR-1 Form
The SR-1 form is a 3-page document that shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to fill out if you have complete information regarding the auto accident. It does not ask for any personal information but instead requires you to provide details such as:
- Names of the parties involved and how to contact them
- Information of the vehicles involved (make and model, license plates)
- Description of the accident
- Property damage details
- Insurance information
Why File an SR-1 Report?
We know what you are thinking. Why file another report if the incident has been documented by the authorities? Apart from gathering statistical information regarding motor vehicle collisions, SR-1 report forms are used as evidence if an uninsured driver or underinsured motorist is involved in a vehicle accident. An uninsured motorist is someone without auto insurance, while an underinsured motorist is an individual who does not have sufficient liability coverage.
Failure to Report a “Reportable Accident”
The failure to file a report of a “reportable accident” could get your driving privileges suspended as a result. Even worse, it is violating California Vehicle Code 20002 on accidents and accident reports.
Said code states in part that “the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to any property, including vehicles, shall immediately stop the vehicle at the nearest location that will not impede traffic or otherwise jeopardize the safety of other motorists.” Leaving the scene while neglecting any portion of the CVC 20002 will result in:
- Jail time of up to 6 months
- Fine of $1,000
There are many things that can potentially go wrong if you fail to file an SR-1 form. From an insurance company dismissing your claim to the other party shifting all liability to you, these things can quickly escalate and become a major source of stress.
That is why regardless of whether or not the incident is a minor accident, if it qualifies as a “reportable accident,” make sure you submit an SR-1 form to the DMV.
Fill Out an SR-1 Form Here
If you want to fill out and submit the form online, you can do so by clicking here. You can also print a copy to manually fill out the form. Once done, you will have to mail it straight to the DMV. Just be aware that forms submitted online are processed faster than those that go through traditional mail.
Contact a Reputable California Personal Injury Lawyer
If you are not unsure how to go about it, there is absolutely no need to worry. Our team of personal injury attorneys at Farahi Law Firm can help you if you find yourself a victim of an accident by somebody else’s fault.
Contact us or call us at (844) 824-2955. Not only will we help you fill out the necessary insurance paperwork after an accident, but we’ll walk you through the whole auto accident claim process.
We work on a No Win, No Fee guarantee, meaning you don’t have to spend any money out of your pocket until your case is won. Don’t hesitate to get in touch. We speak English and Spanish and are available 24/7.
