Learn your legal obligations after a car accident in Louisiana, including exchanging information and reporting the accident to police.
If you get into a car accident in Louisiana, it’s important to understand your legal duties and responsibilities. Failing to comply with the law can result in serious penalties, so make sure you know what you’re required to do.
Here we explore the key obligations Louisiana drivers have after car crashes. You can also learn more by reading Part 32 of the Louisiana Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation Code.
1. Louisiana Driver Exchange of Information Law
In Louisiana, you can be charged with the crime of “hit-and-run driving” if you fail to give your name, address, or the license number of your vehicle after an accident. If requested, you must also show your driver’s license to the other parties in the accident and any police officers on the scene.
Hit-and-run driving is the intentional failure of the driver of a vehicle involved in or causing any accident, to stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident, to give his identity, and to render reasonable aid.
“To give his identity” means that the driver of any vehicle involved in any accident shall give his name, address, and the license number of his vehicle, or shall report the accident to the police.
The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury to or death of any person or property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall:
- Give his name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle he was driving and, upon request and if available, exhibit his license or permit to drive to any person injured in the crash or to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property damaged in the crash.
- Give such information and, upon request, exhibit such license or permit to any police officer at the scene of the crash or who is investigating the crash.
2. Louisiana Car Accident Injury Law: Duty to Render Aid
Under Louisiana law, you must render “reasonable aid” to the other people involved in a car accident. If you fail to assist someone injured in the crash, the government can charge you with hit-and-run driving.
Hit-and-run driving is the intentional failure of the driver of a vehicle involved in or causing any accident, to stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident, to give his identity, and to render reasonable aid.
3. Louisiana Law on Reporting a Car Accident to Police
Louisiana law requires you to inform the local police department of any car crash that results in injury, death, or more than $500 in property damage. You also must report any accident where you do not exchange information with someone at the scene.
The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury or death or property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall immediately give notice of the crash to the local police department if the crash occurs within an incorporated city or town or, if the crash occurs outside of an incorporated city or town, to the nearest sheriff’s office or state police station.
Hit-and-run driving is the intentional failure of the driver of a vehicle involved in or causing any accident, to stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident, to give his identity, and to render reasonable aid.
“To give his identity” means that the driver of any vehicle involved in any accident shall give his name, address, and the license number of his vehicle, or shall report the accident to the police.
What if I Fail to Report an Accident in Louisiana?
Failure to report an accident or identify yourself at the scene is considered a criminal offense in Louisiana. If no one is hurt or seriously injured and you are convicted of hit-and-run driving, you will face fines of up to $500 and up to six months in prison.
However, if someone is seriously injured or killed in the accident, the maximum fine increases to $5,000 and the maximum sentence rises to 10 years. And when aggravating factors such as previous convictions apply, you can be imprisoned for up to 20 years.
Whoever commits the crime of hit-and-run driving where there is no death or serious bodily injury shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
Whoever commits the crime of hit-and-run driving, when death or serious bodily injury is a direct result of the accident and when the driver knew or should have known that death or serious bodily injury has occurred, shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than ten years, or both.
Whoever commits the crime of hit-and-run driving where [certain] conditions are met shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than five years nor more than twenty years.
4. Louisiana Car Accidents With No Injuries: Your Legal Duty
According to Louisiana law, if you get into a car accident that causes more than $500 of property damage, you must immediately stop your vehicle, even if nobody is injured. You then must notify the police and exchange information with the other people involved in the crash.
The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash resulting in property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall:
- Immediately give notice of the crash to the local police department if the crash occurs within an incorporated city or town or, if the crash occurs outside of an incorporated city or town, to the nearest sheriff’s office or state police station.
- Give his name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle he was driving and, upon request and if available, exhibit his license or permit to drive to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property damaged in the crash.
- Give such information and, upon request, exhibit such license or permit to any police officer at the scene of the crash or who is investigating the crash.
Hit-and-run driving is the intentional failure of the driver of a vehicle involved in or causing any accident, to stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident, to give his identity, and to render reasonable aid.
“To give his identity” means that the driver of any vehicle involved in any accident shall give his name, address, and the license number of his vehicle, or shall report the accident to the police.
5. What if I Hit a Parked Car in Louisiana?
When you hit a parked car in Louisiana, you must stop at the scene of the accident. If you can find the vehicle’s owner, you must provide them with your name, address, and vehicle registration number. If you do not exchange information with the car’s owner, then you must report the accident to the police instead.
However, if the crash caused more than $500 of property damage, you must report it to the police even if you do find the vehicle’s owner.
The driver of a vehicle involved in a crash resulting in property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall:
- Immediately give notice of the crash to the local police department if the crash occurs within an incorporated city or town or, if the crash occurs outside of an incorporated city or town, to the nearest sheriff’s office or state police station.
- Give his name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle he was driving and, upon request and if available, exhibit his license or permit to drive to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle or other property damaged in the crash.
- Give such information and, upon request, exhibit such license or permit to any police officer at the scene of the crash or who is investigating the crash.
Hit-and-run driving is the intentional failure of the driver of a vehicle involved in or causing any accident, to stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident, to give his identity, and to render reasonable aid.
“To give his identity” means that the driver of any vehicle involved in any accident shall give his name, address, and the license number of his vehicle, or shall report the accident to the police.
It is crucial that you learn the Louisiana laws about car accidents. That way, you can know what to do if you are ever in one. By understanding your legal duties after an accident, you can help yourself and others involved.
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