ECA
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Study Notes

Unit 12: Crashes & Modern Vehicle Technology

At the Scene of a Crash

If you are in a crash, you must stop, no matter how minor the damage. Leaving the scene of an incident involving property damage is a traffic violation; leaving the scene of one involving a fatality or personal injury is a criminal violation. Even for property-damage-only crashes, you must exchange name, address, driver license number, and vehicle registration/insurance information (including policy number and effective date) with the other driver(s) and police on scene.

  • If anyone is injured or killed, notify police immediately and make sure ambulance/rescue personnel are called.
  • If possible, move your vehicle off the road and protect the scene with reflectors or flares — but watch for leaking fuel.
  • If a parked vehicle, other property, or a domestic animal is damaged/injured and you cannot find the owner, you must notify the police.

Emergency First Aid

Do not stop at a crash scene unless you are involved or emergency help has not yet arrived — otherwise focus on driving and any directions from traffic officers.

  • Do not move an injured person unless necessary due to fire or another life-threatening danger. If you must move them, keep the back and neck as straight as possible.
  • If there are downed wires, stay away from them — warn occupants of an affected vehicle to remain inside until help arrives.

Reporting a Crash to DMV

You must report to DMV any crash involving a fatality or personal injury, or one causing $1,000 or more in property damage to any one person, using the Report of Motor Vehicle Crash (MV-104) — even if you already reported it to your insurance company. This report must be filed within 10 days of the event. Failing to report a crash is a criminal offense (misdemeanor) that can lead to suspension or revocation of your license and/or registration.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Many newer vehicles include driver-assist safety features that sense conditions, identify dangers, and may alert you or take limited control (e.g., braking or steering) to help avoid a crash. Examples include blind spot warning, backup camera, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and active parking assist.

  • ADAS features are meant to ASSIST you, not replace you — you remain fully responsible for safely operating the vehicle at all times.
  • Safety features may not work properly in rain, snow, ice, fog, hills, or curves — never rely on them alone.
  • On the road test, some features (like adaptive cruise control and automatic parallel parking) are NOT permitted; the examiner scores whether you demonstrate the ability to drive safely without relying on ADAS.
  • Keep vehicle sensors clean and undamaged, and keep any related software up to date per the manufacturer's recommendations.
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