If you have recently been involved in a serious car accident in California, you probably have a lot of things on your mind. Medical bills, police reports, vehicle damage, fighting with insurance companies – this can all be very overwhelming, and the last thing you want to deal with is more paperwork.
However, there’s one important document you should not overlook – it’s called an SR-1 form and it’s legally required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to keep track of all major car accidents in the state.
Filling out a SR-1 form can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before. However, with a little bit of guidance and the right information, you can check it off your to-do list sooner rather than later.
The Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1) form is used to report a traffic collision to the DMV and provides important information about the accident, such as the location, date, and time, as well as information about the drivers and their vehicles involved in the accident.
State law requires you to submit an SR-1 form to the DMV within 10 days of the collision if:
An SR-1 form is required by any driver involved in an accident which results in death, injury, or property damage over $1,000, regardless of who’s at fault, and even if the accident occurred on private property.
You can either fill out the form yourself or have an attorney, insurance agent, or other designated representative (such as a family member) submit the form on your behalf.
SR-1 forms are available at DMV field offices, at CHP offices, or for you to fill out online here. (Note: Keep in mind that an SR-1 form must be submitted in addition to any other reports required by law enforcement, insurance companies, or the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The investigating police officer or CHP officer will not submit your SR-1 report to the DMV for you.)
If you’ve been involved in a collision, let’s first walk through what you should do on the scene of the accident. The first step is to call 911 to report the accident to the police or California Highway Patrol (CHP). If a responding officer doesn’t arrive, you may be required to file a written report yourself within 24 hours (separate from an SR-1 Form). Call your nearest police station to find out how to submit this report.
You’re also going to want to gather as much evidence as possible on the scene of the accident. Provided that you haven’t been too severely injured and are physically capable, you should try to do the following directly after the crash:
After these urgent tasks have been take care of, you are now ready to report the car accident to the DMV by submitting an SR-1 form.
The first step is to gather the information and documents you will need, including:
After gathering all the necessary information, it’s time to fill out the SR-1 form. Here are the sections you’ll need to complete:
Once you’ve filled out the SR-1 form, you’ll need to submit it to the DMV no later than 10 days after the accident.
According to the California Vehicle Code §16004, if you fail to submit and SR-1 report within 10 days of a major accident the penalties are as follows:
According to California law, victims have up to two years from the date of the accident to file claims for injuries – but you don’t want to wait that long. Over time, it can become more difficult to secure evidence and locate witnesses. We know from experience that the sooner you start your claim, the stronger your case will be, and the highest payout you will receive.
Let one of our experienced car accident attorneys help you streamline the entire process and make your case as air tight as possible. We can take care of all the paperwork, forms, and legal documentation in a timely manner so that you can focus on your recovery. Shirvanian Law Firm offers a free consultation to discuss your case (whether it’s a new or ongoing case) and provide legal guidance. Contact us now.
