Nevada’s car accident statutes can be found in Nevada Revised Statute chapter 484E.
NRS 484E.010 to 483E.130 spell out what motorists, police officers, and the Department of Public Safety are required to do following a motor vehicle accident.
Nevada Car Accident Statutes
Nevada’s car accident statutes read as follows:
NRS 484E.010 Duty to stop at scene of crash involving death or personal injury; penalty.
1. The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash on a highway or on premises to which the public has access resulting in bodily injury to or the death of a person shall immediately stop his or her vehicle at the scene of the crash or as close thereto as possible, and shall forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the crash until the driver has fulfilled the requirements of NRS 484E.030.
2. Every such stop must be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.
3. A person failing to comply with the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of a category B felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 2 years and a maximum term of not more than 20 years and by a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than $5,000. A person failing to comply with the provisions of subsection 1 commits a separate offense under this section for the bodily injury to or the death of each person that results from a crash with regard to which the person failed to comply with the provisions of subsection 1.
4. A sentence imposed pursuant to subsection 3 may not be suspended nor may probation be granted.
NRS 484E.020 Duty to stop at scene of crash involving damage to vehicle or property; duty to move vehicle under certain circumstances.
1. The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash resulting only in damage to a vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by any person shall:
(a) Immediately stop his or her vehicle at the scene of the crash; and
(b) If the driver’s vehicle is creating a hazard or obstructing traffic and can be moved safely, move the vehicle or cause the vehicle to be moved out of the traffic lanes of the roadway to a safe location that does not create a hazard or obstruct traffic and, if applicable, safely fulfill the requirements of NRS 484E.030.
2. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NRS 484E.030 Duty to give information and render aid.
1. The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to any vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by any person shall:
(a) Give his or her name, address and the registration number of the vehicle the driver is driving, and shall upon request and if available exhibit his or her license to operate a motor vehicle to any person injured in such crash or to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property damaged in such crash;
(b) Give such information and upon request manually surrender such license to any police officer at the scene of the crash or who is investigating the crash; and
(c) Render to any person injured in such crash reasonable assistance, including the carrying, or the making of arrangements for the carrying, of such person to a physician, surgeon or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary, or if such carrying is requested by the injured person.
2. If no police officer is present, the driver of any vehicle involved in such crash after fulfilling all other requirements of subsection 1 and NRS 484E.010, insofar as possible on his or her part to be performed, shall forthwith report such crash to the nearest office of a police authority or of the Nevada Highway Patrol and submit thereto the information specified in subsection 1.
3. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NRS 484E.040 Duty upon damaging unattended vehicle or other property.
1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the driver of any vehicle which is involved in a crash with any vehicle or other property which is unattended, resulting in any damage to such other vehicle or property, shall immediately stop and shall then and there locate and notify the operator or owner of such vehicle or other property of the name and address of the driver and owner of the vehicle striking the unattended vehicle or other property or shall attach securely in a conspicuous place in or on such vehicle or property a written notice giving the name and address of the driver and of the owner of the vehicle doing the striking.
2. If the vehicle of a driver involved in a crash pursuant to subsection 1 is creating a hazard or obstructing traffic and can be moved safely, the driver shall, before meeting the requirements of subsection 1, move the vehicle or cause the vehicle to be moved out of the traffic lanes of the roadway to a safe location that does not create a hazard or obstruct traffic and minimizes interference with the free movement of traffic.
3. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NRS 484E.050 Immediate notice to police officer of crash involving unattended vehicle or other property.
1. The driver of a vehicle which is involved in a crash with any vehicle or other property which is unattended, resulting in any damage to such other vehicle or property, shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of such crash to the nearest office of a police authority or of the Nevada Highway Patrol.
2. Whenever the driver of a vehicle is physically incapable of giving an immediate notice of a crash as required in subsection 1 and there was another occupant in the vehicle at the time of the crash capable of doing so, such occupant shall make or cause to be given the notice not given by the driver.
3. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NRS 484E.060 Seizure and impoundment of vehicle for failure to surrender license plates and certificate of registration upon suspension of registration.
1. A peace officer at the scene of a crash involving a motor vehicle shall, by radio, request that the information on file with the Department be checked regarding the validity of the registration for each motor vehicle involved in the crash. If the peace officer is informed that the registration of a motor vehicle involved in the crash has been suspended pursuant to any provision of chapter 485 of NRS, the peace officer shall determine whether the license plates and certificate of registration for the motor vehicle have been surrendered as required by NRS 485.320. If the license plates and certificate have not been surrendered, the peace officer shall:
(a) Issue a traffic citation in the manner provided in NRS 484A.630 charging the registered owner with a violation of NRS 485.320 and 485.330; and
(b) Without a warrant, seize and take possession of the motor vehicle and cause it to be towed and impounded until the owner claims it by:
(1) Presenting proof that the vehicle’s registration has been reinstated by the Department; and
(2) Paying the cost of the towing and impoundment.
2. Neither the peace officer nor the governmental entity which employs the peace officer is civilly liable for any damage to the vehicle that occurs after the vehicle is seized, but before the towing process begins.
NRS 484E.070 Written or electronic report of crash to Department by driver or owner; exceptions; confidentiality; use as evidence at trial.
1. The Department shall:
(a) Approve the format of the forms for crash reports made pursuant to this section; and
(b) Make those forms available to persons who are required to forward the reports to the Department pursuant to this section.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 3, 4 and 5, the driver of a vehicle which is in any manner involved in a crash on a highway or on premises to which the public has access, if the crash results in bodily injury to or the death of any person or total damage to any vehicle or item of property to an apparent extent of $750 or more, shall, within 10 days after the crash, forward a written or electronic report of the crash to the Department. Whenever damage occurs to a motor vehicle, the operator shall attach to the crash report an estimate of repairs or a statement of the total loss from an established repair garage, an insurance adjuster employed by an insurer licensed to do business in this State, an adjuster licensed pursuant to chapter 684A of NRS or an appraiser licensed pursuant to chapter 684B of NRS. The Department may require the driver or owner of the vehicle to file supplemental written or electronic reports whenever the original report is insufficient in the opinion of the Department.
3. A report is not required from any person if the crash was investigated by a police officer pursuant to NRS 484E.110 and the report of the investigating officer contains:
(a) The name and address of the insurance company providing coverage to each person involved in the crash;
(b) The number of each policy; and
(c) The dates on which the coverage begins and ends.
4. The driver of a vehicle subject to the jurisdiction of the Surface Transportation Board or the Nevada Transportation Authority need not submit in his or her report the information requested pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS 484E.120 until the 10th day of the month following the month in which the crash occurred.
5. A written or electronic crash report is not required pursuant to this chapter from any person who is physically incapable of making a report, during the period of the person’s incapacity. Whenever the driver is physically incapable of making a written or electronic report of a crash as required in this section and the driver is not the owner of the vehicle, the owner shall within 10 days after knowledge of the crash make the report not made by the driver.
6. All written or electronic reports required in this section to be forwarded to the Department by drivers or owners of vehicles involved in crashes are without prejudice to the person so reporting and are for the confidential use of the Department or other state agencies having use of the records for crash prevention, except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.0115 and except that the Department may disclose to a person involved in a crash or to his or her insurer the identity of another person involved in the crash when the person’s identity is not otherwise known or when the person denies having been present at the crash. The Department may also disclose the name of the person’s insurer and the number of the person’s policy.
7. A written or electronic report forwarded pursuant to the provisions of this section may not be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of a crash except that the Department shall furnish upon demand of any party to such a trial, or upon demand of any court, a certificate showing that a specified crash report has or has not been made to the Department in compliance with law, and, if the report has been made, the date, time and location of the crash, the names and addresses of the drivers, the owners of the vehicles involved and the investigating officers. The report may be used as evidence when necessary to prosecute charges filed in connection with a violation of NRS 484E.080.
NRS 484E.080 Failure to report; false report; penalties.
1. If a person willfully fails, refuses or neglects to make a report of a crash in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the person’s driving privilege may be suspended. Suspension action taken under this section remains in effect for 1 year unless terminated by receipt of the report of the crash or upon receipt of evidence that failure to report was not willful.
2. Any person who gives information in electronic, oral or written reports as required in this chapter, knowing or having reason to believe that such information is false, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
NRS 484E.090 State Registrar of Vital Statistics to report death to Department.
The State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall on or before the 10th day of each month report in writing to the Department the death of any person resulting from a vehicle crash, giving the time and place of the crash and the circumstances relating thereto.
NRS 484E.100 Garage or repair shop to maintain record of repairs made to vehicle involved in crash.
The person in charge of any garage or repair shop to which is brought any motor vehicle which shows evidence of having been involved in a crash and which is repaired in that garage or repair shop shall maintain for 2 years a record of those repairs including the:1. Registration number of the vehicle;
2. Vehicle identification number;
3. Color of the vehicle before the repairs;
4. Location on the vehicle of the damage repaired;
5. Total amount of the damage; and
6. Name and address of the person who requested the repairs.
NRS 484E.110 Police to report to Department of Public Safety; report not confidential; requirements for preparation of report; submission of copy of report to Department of Motor Vehicles.
1. Every police officer who investigates a vehicle crash of which a report must be made as required in this chapter, or who otherwise prepares a written or electronic report as a result of an investigation either at the time of and at the scene of the crash or thereafter by interviewing the participants or witnesses, shall forward a written or electronic report of the crash to the Department of Public Safety within 10 days after the investigation of the crash. The data collected by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to this subsection must be recorded in a central repository created by the Department of Public Safety to track data electronically concerning vehicle crashes on a statewide basis.
2. The written or electronic reports required to be forwarded by police officers and the information contained therein are not privileged or confidential.
3. Every sheriff, chief of police or office of the Nevada Highway Patrol receiving any report required under NRS 484E.030 to 484E.090, inclusive, shall immediately prepare a copy thereof and file the copy with the Department of Public Safety.
4. If a police officer investigates a vehicle crash resulting in bodily injury to or the death of any person or total damage to any vehicle or item of property to an apparent extent of $750 or more, the police officer shall prepare a written or electronic report of the investigation.
5. As soon as practicable after receiving a report pursuant to this section, the Department of Public Safety shall submit a copy of the report to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
NRS 484E.120 Forms for report of crash; duties of Department of Public Safety.
1. The Department of Public Safety shall prepare forms for crash reports required pursuant to NRS 484E.110, suitable with respect to the persons required to make the reports and the purposes to be served. The forms must be designed to call for sufficiently detailed information to disclose with reference to a crash the cause, conditions then existing, the persons and vehicles involved, the name and address of the insurance company, the number of the policy providing coverage and the dates on which the coverage begins and ends. The Department of Public Safety shall, upon request, supply to a police department, sheriff or other appropriate agency or person, the forms for crash reports prepared by a police officer pursuant to NRS 484E.110.
2. In addition to submitting a copy of a report pursuant to NRS 484E.110, the Department of Public Safety shall provide any information required by this section which is not included in the report to the Department of Motor Vehicles to enable the Department of Motor Vehicles to determine whether the requirements for the deposit of security under chapter 485 of NRS are inapplicable. The Department of Motor Vehicles may rely upon the accuracy of information supplied to a police officer by a driver or owner on the form unless it has reason to believe that the information is erroneous.
3. Every crash report required pursuant to NRS 484E.070 must be made on the appropriate form approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to that section and must contain all the information required in the form.
4. Every crash report required pursuant to NRS 484E.110 must be made on the appropriate form approved by the Department of Public Safety and must contain all the information required therein unless it is not available.
NRS 484E.130 Department to tabulate and analyze reports.
The Department shall tabulate and analyze all crash reports received in compliance with this chapter and shall publish annually, or at more frequent intervals, statistical information based thereon as to the number and circumstances of vehicle crashes.
Following a car crash, Nevada’s car accident statutes mandate that the drivers exchange contact information and car insurance information.
What is the penalty for violating NRS 484E.010?
Failing to stop at the scene of an accident causing bodily injury or death is a category B felony, carrying:
- 2 to 20 years in Nevada State Prison, and
- $2,000 to $5,000.
The judge may not grant probation or a suspended sentence.1
What is the penalty for violating NRS 484E.020?
Failing to stop at the scene of an accident causing only property damage is a misdemeanor in Nevada, carrying:
- up to 6 months in jail and/or
- up to $1,000.2
What is the penalty for violating NRS 484E.030?
After an accident, failing to stop and exchange information and render aid (if necessary) is a misdemeanor in Nevada, carrying:
- up to 6 months in jail and/or
- up to $1,000.3
What is the penalty for violating NRS 484E.040?
After an accident where you hit unattended property, failing to find the owner or to leave a note with your information is a misdemeanor in Nevada, carrying:
- up to 6 months in jail and/or
- up to $1,000.4
What is the penalty for violating NRS 484E.050?
After an accident where you hit unattended property, failing to inform the police is a misdemeanor in Nevada, carrying:
- up to 6 months in jail and/or
- up to $1,000.5
What is the penalty for violating NRS 484E.080?
Willfully failing to make a crash report when necessary carries a potential one-year Nevada driver’s license suspension. Willfully making a false report is a gross misdemeanor, carrying:
- up to 364 days in jail and/or
- up to $2,000.6
Note that it is not necessary to file an accident report if the crash caused no fatalities, no injuries, and less than $750 in damages. It is also not necessary to make a report if the police are at the scene.
Otherwise, you have 10 days from the accident to complete this SR-1 form and mail it to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles at 555 Wright Way, Carson City, NV 89711. The mailing also has to include these three attachments:
- A copy of your insurance that was in effect on the date of the crash for the vehicle involved;
- An estimate of repairs or a statement of total loss if there was $750 or more in vehicle- or property damage (of any one person); and
- A doctor’s statement of injury for each car accident victim injured in your vehicle (if the crash resulted in bodily injury or death).7
Crash victims are advised to hire a personal injury attorney to deal with their liability insurance adjuster and file a car accident claim.
Anyone injured in an accident in Nevada is invited to contact our Las Vegas personal injury lawyers for legal advice. Our Las Vegas, NV law firm of experienced attorneys fights for the maximum payout in car accident cases.
See our related articles on uninsured motorist coverage, comparative negligence, wrongful death, and 10 critical steps to take after a Nevada car accident.
