Oregon driving lesson · Insurance, Collisions & Your Record
After a Collision
A 3-minute lesson from the Oregon course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Most crashes aren't accidents — they happen because a driver was distracted, tired or not driving defensively. If you're in one, Oregon law spells out what you must do at the scene and when you must file a report with DMV.
Preventable collision
A collision caused by being distracted, tired or not driving defensively. The handbook calls the word “accident” misleading for these.
Exchange your name, address, driver license number, license plate number and insurance information with the other driver, passengers and any injured pedestrian. You may exchange information away from the scene.
If you hit an unoccupied vehicle, try to find the owner. If you can't, leave a note with your name and address and a brief description of what happened. If you damage other property, try to find and notify the owner or person in charge.
You back into a parked car in a lot, causing $3,000 damage to your own bumper. No one's around. Leave a note with your name, address and what happened — and since damage to your vehicle is over $2,500, file Form 735-32 with DMV within 72 hours.
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.
After a collision, if there are no injuries and vehicles can be safely moved, you should:
Leave them where they stopped
Wait for police before moving them
Leave them in place for insurance photos
Move them out of travel lanes
Answer: Move them out of travel lanes
Move vehicles out of travel lanes when it's safe to do so.