What California Truck Drivers and Fleets Should Do After a Collision

After a truck collision, calls may come in from dispatch, the carrier and the insurer. First secure the vehicle and attend to people and the scene. Check for injuries, fire, leaking fuel or cargo, and approaching traffic that could cause a secondary collision. Call 911 immediately for emergency care or a dangerous scene. Photographs, dispatch calls and insurance notification can follow. They must not delay rescue or emergency response.

Whether to move the truck depends in part on injuries

The California Highway Patrol collision guidance puts care for the injured first. For property damage only, with no injury and a vehicle that can still be driven safely, move to the nearest place that does not obstruct traffic or endanger others. If someone has been injured or killed, stop immediately, assist the injured and follow on-scene officers’ directions about the vehicle.

Under 49 CFR § 392.22, immediately activate hazard flashers when a commercial motor vehicle stops after a collision on the traveled portion or shoulder of a highway. Where required, place warning devices as soon as possible and within 10 minutes. Position depends on the vehicle, traffic, curves and sight distance. Do not enter traffic where you cannot work safely to take a photo or place a triangle. Tell 911, CHP or local police about the hazard.

Exchange information and preserve the facts

Exchange names and current addresses, license numbers, vehicle identification numbers, registered owner information, insurers and policy numbers. Record the other vehicle, witness contacts, exact location, direction, lane and traffic controls.

Without interfering with rescue or enforcement, photograph vehicle positions, impact points, lane markings, signs, cargo condition, spills, skid marks, damage and towing. Promptly preserve dashcam, electronic logging device (ELD) and dispatch records. Tell police, the carrier and the insurer what you actually observed. Do not argue fault at the scene, sign an admission or promise payment.

Notify the carrier and insurer and check DMV reporting separately

Once the scene is stable, contact dispatch, the safety manager or the carrier’s designated contact under company procedure. The fleet should check its commercial auto policy’s notice terms and promptly contact the insurer or broker-agent. Policies can differ on the method and deadline. Use the actual policy.

An internal incident report and an insurance claim do not complete a required California DMV SR-1. Police attendance, claim acceptance or undetermined fault does not change the thresholds. Submit within 10 days after the collision if anyone was injured, however slightly, anyone died or any one party’s property damage exceeded $1,000. The driver or an authorized insurance agent, broker or legal representative may file through the California DMV online SR-1 service.

Where the driver operated a vehicle owned, operated or leased by the employer with the employer’s permission, California Vehicle Code § 16002 separately provides for a report to the employer on an approved form within five days, and forwarding to DMV by the employer within 10 days of receipt, subject to statutory exceptions. Confirm whether the employer is reporting to DMV, whether an exception applies and that receipt is documented. Check these items even after notifying dispatch.

DOT post-accident testing is conditional

Federal post-accident drug and alcohol testing primarily concerns drivers operating in commerce in positions requiring a CDL. 49 CFR § 382.303 specifies the testing triggers by the type of accident.

After a fatality, a covered surviving driver involved who was performing a safety-sensitive function must undergo alcohol and controlled-substances testing. A citation is not a prerequisite.

In a nonfatal accident, two categories require a citation check. One is an injury for which someone immediately receives medical treatment away from the scene. The other is disabling damage requiring any involved vehicle to be towed away. In either category, the covered driver must receive a citation for a moving traffic violation arising from the accident for the corresponding test to be triggered. The citation window is eight hours after the accident for alcohol testing and 32 hours for controlled-substances testing.

The employer or designated employer representative (DER) arranges testing under DOT procedures. A driver’s independently arranged ordinary drug test is not a substitute. If alcohol testing has not been completed within two hours, the employer must document the reason. Stop attempts at eight hours. Stop attempts at controlled-substances testing at 32 hours and document why it was not completed. A driver subject to testing must remain readily available, but first aid and necessary emergency medical treatment must not be delayed. If alcohol testing may be required, the driver must not drink alcohol for eight hours after the accident or until tested, whichever occurs first.

Link on-scene evidence to the carrier’s later reporting

For an accident meeting the federal definition, keep the accident register for three years under 49 CFR § 390.15, along with copies of accident reports required by a state, other government agency or insurer. Follow the carrier’s preservation procedures for photos, dashcam, ELD, dispatch messages, BOL, DVIR, maintenance materials, tow ticket, citation, SR-1 receipt and testing arrangements. Do not edit or overwrite originals or manufacture missing records afterward.

Disclaimer. This article draws on the California Vehicle Code, California DMV, CHP, Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and FMCSA public information accessible on August 24, 2026. It provides general information on post-collision safety, reporting, insurance notice and federal testing. It does not determine liability or offer individual legal, insurance, medical, drug and alcohol testing or continued-operation advice. Injuries, vehicle position, cargo, spills, officers’ directions, citation time, driver duties, policies and eligibility for employer reporting vary. Follow 911, CHP or local police directions, current DMV requirements, applicable federal regulations, the employer’s DOT procedures and the actual policy. There is no guarantee of insurance payment, fault determination, testing outcome or regulatory disposition. For injury or death, significant cargo damage, hazardous materials, litigation risk or a testing dispute, promptly contact qualified legal, insurance and compliance professionals. The author and publisher accept no liability for losses arising from actions taken on the basis of this article.

California Department of Motor Vehicles. “Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1).” California DMV, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-virtual-office/accident-reporting/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

California Highway Patrol. “What to Do in a Traffic Crash.” Traffic, https://www.chp.ca.gov/traffic. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

California Legislative Information. “California Vehicle Code, Division 7, Chapter 1, Article 1: Accident Reports, Sections 16000–16005.” California Legislative Information, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=1.&chapter=1.&division=7.&lawCode=VEH&part=&title=. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

California Legislative Information. “California Vehicle Code Section 16025.” California Legislative Information, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=16025. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

California Legislative Information. “California Vehicle Code, Division 10, Chapter 1: Accidents and Accident Reports, Sections 20000–20018.” California Legislative Information, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=&chapter=1.&division=10.&lawCode=VEH&part=&title=. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 382.103: Applicability.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-382/subpart-A/section-382.103. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 382.209: Use Following an Accident.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-382/subpart-B/section-382.209. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 382.303: Post-Accident Testing.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-382/subpart-C/section-382.303. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 390.5: Definitions.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-390/subpart-A/section-390.5. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 390.15: Assistance in Investigations and Special Studies.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-390/subpart-B/section-390.15. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 392.22: Emergency Signals; Stopped Commercial Motor Vehicles.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-392/subpart-C/section-392.22. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. “49 CFR § 393.95: Emergency Equipment on All Power Units.” eCFR, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-393/subpart-H/section-393.95. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “When Does Testing Occur and What Tests Are Required?” FMCSA, https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/drug-alcohol-testing/what-tests-are-required-and-when-does-testing-occur. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.