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Accidents and safety

After a crash in New Jersey: what you must do, and what you should do

New Jersey law says when to call police, what to hand the other driver, and when you owe the MVC a written report within 10 days. A calm checklist for the worst five minutes.

DMVZone editorial · November 12, 2026 · 6 min read
Quick answer

Stop, check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Give the other driver your name, address, license, registration and insurance. Police must be told right away if anyone is injured or killed or damage tops $500, and if no officer files a report, you send one to the MVC within 10 days.

Call police if damage over
$500
Written MVC report
Within 10 days
Not reporting
$30-$100 fine
Leaving, injury crash
8 points
Cars merging past orange traffic cones and a flashing arrow board toward a highway work area.

Nobody plans for a crash, which is why it helps to know the order of things before it happens. Read this once now. If you ever need it, you will remember more than you think.

At the scene, in order

  1. StopLeaving the scene of an injury crash brings 8 points, a $2,500 to $5,000 fine, possible jail and a one-year loss of license. Even a damage-only hit-and-run costs six months of driving.
  2. Make it safeHazard lights on. If no one is hurt and the cars can move, get out of the travel lanes if it is safe.
  3. Call 911 if anyone is hurtDo not move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger, such as a fire.
  4. Exchange informationYour name, address, driver's license, registration and insurance card. Show them if asked.
  5. Call police for bigger crashesRequired for any injury or death, or property damage over $500, which describes most crashes with a dent.
  6. Take photosAll vehicles, plates, the road, signs and any skid marks. Get witness names and numbers.
Good to know

Hitting a parked car with no one around? You still must stop and leave a note with your name and address where it can be seen, then report it to police.

In the next 10 days

If a police officer came and filed a crash report, you do not need to file your own with the MVC. If no officer investigated and the crash involved injury, death or more than $500 in damage, you must send a written report to the MVC within 10 days. Skipping it can bring a $30 to $100 fine.

Insurance in a no-fault state

Your medical bills

  • Start with your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
  • PIP pays no matter who caused the crash

Car damage

  • Claimed against the at-fault driver's liability coverage
  • Or your own collision coverage, if you have it

Call your insurer

  • Report the crash promptly
  • Give facts, not guesses about fault

Things not to do

  • Do not argue about fault at the scene. Stick to facts.
  • Do not post about the crash online before you talk to your insurer.
  • Do not sign anything from the other driver's insurer before you understand it.
  • Do not skip a doctor visit if something hurts. Some injuries show up a day later.
Check yourself3 questions

  1. In New Jersey, police must be notified right away when crash damage is more than:

    Answer: B. Any injury, death or property damage over $500 must be reported to police immediately.

  2. No officer filed a report for your $2,000 crash. When is your written report due to the MVC?

    Answer: C. You must send the MVC a written report within 10 days.

  3. You back into an empty parked car. What must you do?

    Answer: B. Leave your information where the owner will see it, and report the crash to police.

Crash questions

Do I have to call police for a small fender-bender in New Jersey?

If damage is over $500, yes. Most body repairs cost more than that, so calling is usually the right move.

Who pays my medical bills after a New Jersey crash?

Your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays first, regardless of who caused the crash.

Will a crash add points to my license?

A crash by itself does not. Points come from any ticket you get for it, such as careless driving.

Sources

Checked against these pages on November 12, 2026. Laws change, so open the source before you rely on a number.

Rules and fees change. Always confirm the details with the official New Jersey DMV or motor vehicle agency before you act. DMVZone practice questions are written to teach the rules and are not copies of the real test.

Keep your curiosity moving.

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