Drivers in Nebraska have certain legal obligations after being involved in a car accident. Whether or not a driver caused the crash they were involved in, they are required by law to stop immediately after the incident and alert the proper authorities. Failure to fulfill the duty to stop could result in a driver being criminally charged.
After stopping at the accident scene, a driver must also provide insurance information to all of the other people who were also involved in the wreck. For instance, a driver is required to give their name, phone number, address and driver’s license number. In the event that a person crashes into a parked vehicle, the driver is legally obligated to write a note containing all of this information and attach it to the vehicle in a place that can be easily seen when the driver returns.
Violation of the duty to stop is considered a Class II misdemeanor. A driver may be found guilty of a Class I misdemeanor if they are convicted of failing to stop after car accidents more than once within a 12-year period. If convicted, an individual’s driver’s license could be revoked for up to one year.
Fulfilling the duty to stop is not only important for drivers who are wishing to avoid penalties. Stopping to obtain the contact information of other drivers involved in the accident may also be important for a person who is planning to file a claim for compensation of their economic losses. After this information is gathered, an attorney could help someone who was injured in a car accident complete all of the other steps necessary to file a personal injury claim.
Source: Nebraska Legislature, “Nebraska Revised Statute 60-696”, October 09, 2014