If you are involved in a traffic accident in California, you must file a report of the accident with the DMV when:
- The collision causes $1,000 in damage. ✓
- You plan on being out of the state for more than 30 days.
- You refinance the remaining balance of your vehicle loan.
Answer: A. The collision causes $1,000 in damage.
You must file a report with the DMV when the collision caused $1,000 in damage to property, or when anyone was injured or killed.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says a collision must be reported to the DMV within 10 days when it caused $1,000 in damage to property, or when anyone was hurt or killed, even if the injuries were minor. It does not matter who caused the crash, and the report is your job, not law enforcement's. Failing to file puts your driving privilege at risk of suspension. The dollar figure for property damage is what makes the damage-only collision reportable.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. You plan on being out of the state for more than 30 days. — Being out of the state for more than 30 days is not a reason to report a collision; the handbook ties the report to damage, injuries, or a death, not to travel plans.
- C. You refinance the remaining balance of your vehicle loan. — Refinancing a vehicle loan has nothing to do with collision reporting, which is triggered by property damage or someone being hurt or killed.
Remember it
Two triggers to remember: enough property damage, or any injury at all. And remember the report is yours to file — the officer at the scene will not do it for you.