You must file a report of a traffic accident occurring in California when:
- Your vehicle fails a smog test.
- You are involved in a collision and there is an injury. ✓
- You change your insurance company.
Answer: B. You are involved in a collision and there is an injury.
You must file a report when you are involved in a collision and someone is injured.
Why this is the answer
The California Driver Handbook says that after a collision you must report it to DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, even if the injuries were minor. It also requires a report when property damage is over $1,000, but an injury by itself is enough. Each driver must file the SR 1 report, whether or not they caused the collision.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Your vehicle fails a smog test. — A smog test is not a collision, so it does not trigger this DMV accident report.
- C. You change your insurance company. — Changing insurance companies is an insurance matter, not a collision that requires an accident report.
Remember it
Remember the injury trigger: a collision with any injury, even minor, means you file the DMV report yourself.