Information and Assistance

Many drivers wonder what is required of them on the scene of an accident. If you are involved in an accident that involves property damage, or more seriously, an accident that involves a bodily injury, the Florida statutes require that you remain on the scene of the accident to provide information and render aid if necessary. Section 316.062 of the Florida Statutes mandates that any driver of a vehicle involved in crash that results in injury or death of a person or damage to another vehicle or property is required to provide their name, address, the registration of the vehicle, and upon request, their license or permit to drive. The Statute requires this information to be provided to the other driver, injured person, vehicle occupants, or police officer investigating the crash.

Are you wondering what is required if no one is around to receive the information and no police officer is there to investigate the accident? Well, you likely should be given the frequency of single car crashes with property damage in rural areas. The Statute provides the answer – you are required to “report the crash to the nearest office of a duly authorized police authority and submit thereto the information specified.” §316.062(2), Fla. Stat.

In addition to your requirement to provide information, the Statute also requires that you shall render reasonable assistance to any injured person, “including the carrying, or making arrangements for the carrying,” if it is requested by the injured person, or it is apparent that treatment is necessary.

If you want a more direct answer to the common question just remember the title of the article – “information and assistance.” Fortunately, a violation of this Statute is a noncriminal traffic infraction punishable as a non-moving violation.