Car accidents can result in injuries that none of the insurance companies of the parties involved want to be responsible for. Auto accident law in Missouri has procedures to take after an accident has occurred to help find the fault in the accident. Since Missouri is not a no-fault state, one or both parties can be held responsible for the collision.
Whether or not the accident was due to a broken law, the auto accident law in Missouri states it's illegal to leave the scene of an accident without following a certain protocol. No cars involved in the accident should be left in the road. If they can still drive, they should be moved to the side of the road. If anyone is injured an ambulance should be called immediately. The police should also be called after the cars are on the side of the road.
While waiting for the police, the drivers should exchange their name, address, driver's license number, VIN, plate numbers, and insurance information. When the police arrive they will fill out an accident report for their records and then inform the drivers when it's all right to leave. While it's not part of the law, insurance companies should be informed of the accident as soon as possible.
In some cases one of the drivers may have to file an accident report with the Missouri DMV. The auto accident law in Missouri has a list that will inform the driver if they are required to file a report or not. The accident must have occurred in Missouri and happened within the past year. Penalties may be applied if an accident report was supposed to be filed and was not filed within 30 days of the accident.
All drivers in Missouri should have liability insurance since drivers can be liable for any accidents they are involved in. When a driver is found at fault for an accident and does not have insurance, they must pay for any damages they caused or risk being taken to civil court. According to the auto accident law in Missouri there are three ways a person may be found at fault for an accident: negligence, intentional wrong, and strict liability. Civil charges can be brought against a driver for any of those reasons if any injury is caused.