This chapter covers what a driver must do immediately after being involved in a crash — stopping, notifying law enforcement, and helping anyone who is hurt — plus special guidance for moving vehicles safely afterward and for deer-vehicle collisions.
The most tested material includes the duty to stop and report a crash when there is injury, death, or more than $500 in property damage; the protection offered by Georgia's Good Samaritan Law when giving emergency aid; the rule that allows drivers to move driveable vehicles off a multilane road when it's safe to do so; and the guidance never to swerve to avoid a deer.
A common mistake is assuming a driver must always leave the vehicles exactly where a crash happened — in fact, the manual instructs drivers to move driveable vehicles to a safe location if there's no apparent serious injury and it's safe to do so. Another frequent error is swerving to avoid a deer, which can cause a more serious crash than hitting the animal would.
When is a driver required to notify law enforcement after a crash?⌄
A driver must notify the nearest law enforcement agency immediately if anyone is injured or killed, or if property damage exceeds $500.
Does moving your vehicle after a crash mean you're at fault or leaving the scene?⌄
No — on a multilane highway or expressway, if there's no apparent serious injury or death and the vehicles can be driven safely, drivers are expected to move them out of the roadway to a safe location; doing so does not make a driver at fault or prevent anyone from later filing a written report.
What should a driver do if a deer runs into the road?⌄
Slow down as much as possible, but never swerve to avoid the deer — swerving can cause you to hit another vehicle or leave the roadway, which is often more dangerous than striking the animal.