What to Do If You Are Involved in a Collision in North Carolina

What to Do if You Are Involved in a Collision in North Carolina

If you are involved in a collision in North Carolina, the law requires you to stop, stay, share your information, and help anyone who is hurt. Leaving the scene of a crash with injuries is a felony. Beyond what the statute demands, the first hour after a wreck is when the evidence that decides your claim either gets preserved or disappears.

Here is what the law requires, step by step, and what to do to protect both yourself and any claim that follows.

What Does North Carolina Law Require You to Do After a Crash?

Stop and stay at the scene. The duty-to-stop statute, G.S. 20-166(a), is strict when there are serious injuries:

The driver of any vehicle who knows or reasonably should know: (1) That the vehicle which he or she is operating is involved in a crash; and (2) That the crash has resulted in serious bodily injury ... or death to any person; shall immediately stop the driver's vehicle at the scene of the crash. The driver shall remain with the vehicle at the scene ... until a law-enforcement officer completes the investigation ... or authorizes the driver to leave.

A willful violation when there is serious injury is a Class F felony, and leaving a crash that caused any injury is a Class H felony. This is what people mean by "hit-and-run," and North Carolina treats it harshly.

Do I Have to Exchange Information and Help the Other Driver?

Yes, both. G.S. 20-166(b) requires any driver who must stop to give the other people involved their name, address, driver's license number, and license plate number, and to "render reasonable assistance to any injured person," which includes calling for medical help if it is needed or requested. Failing to do that is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

What Are the Steps to Take at the Scene of a North Carolina Collision?

Work through this list in order, as long as you are physically able.

• Check for injuries and call 911 for anyone hurt; report the crash to law enforcement.
• Move to safety if the cars are drivable and there are no injuries, then exchange information.
• Get the other driver's name, license, plate, and insurance, and give yours.
• Photograph everything: vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, traffic signs, the other plate, and the wider scene.
• Get witness names and numbers before they leave, because they scatter fast.
• Do not admit fault or guess about what happened; stick to facts with the officer.
• Get medical care the same day, even if you feel okay, because adrenaline hides injuries.

Do I Have to Report a Car Accident in North Carolina?

Often yes. When a crash involves injury, death, or significant property damage, it is a reportable crash, and the driver must notify law enforcement immediately by the quickest means available. If you strike a parked, unattended vehicle and cannot find the owner, the law lets you leave your information in a note and then follow up, but the safest move is always to call the police and get a report number.

Why the First Hour Matters So Much to Your Claim

North Carolina follows a strict contributory negligence rule, which means if the insurer can pin even a small share of fault on you, it can try to defeat your claim entirely. That is why the scene photos, the witness names, and the police report matter so much. They fix the facts before anyone's memory shifts. Do not give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement before you have advice. If you were injured, our North Carolina car accident lawyers can step in early and handle the claims with the carriers for you.

Talk to The Law Offices of John M. McCabe

If you were hurt in a crash, get medical care first, then call before the other side locks in its version. The Law Offices of John M. McCabe prepares every case as if a jury will hear it. Reach out for a free consultation.

Updated 2026. This page reflects North Carolina's duty-to-stop law, G.S. 20-166, as amended through 2025 and in effect in 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.

Check out other NC safety laws by visiting our main North Carolina safety laws page.