New York driving lesson · Crashes & Driver Assistance
First aid & reporting a crash to DMV
A 3-minute lesson from the New York course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Until help arrives, a few basic first-aid rules can keep a bad situation from getting worse. Afterward, some crashes must be reported to DMV within days, and telling your insurance company doesn't count.
Know the rule
Don't move an injured person unless fire or another life-threatening danger makes it necessary. If you must, keep the back and neck as straight as possible: arms under the back, neck supported by your upper arms, and pull the person head first by the clothing.
Failing to report a crash is a criminal offense (misdemeanor) and can mean suspension or revocation of your license and/or registrations, and those of the vehicle owner.
You rear-end a car at low speed; no one is hurt, but the repair estimate for the other driver's bumper is $1,250. That's $1,000 or more to one person's property, so you must file an MV-104 with DMV within 10 days, even though insurance is handling the claim.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
What is the property-damage threshold that requires a crash report to DMV?
$500 or more
$1,000 or more
$250 or more
$2,000 or more
Answer: $1,000 or more
You must report any crash that involves $1,000 or more in damage to any one person's property.