California DMV · Class C · Based on the 2025 California Driver’s Handbook
California DMV Collisions & Insurance Practice Test (2026)
These questions test what to do after a crash, when you must report it, and California's minimum insurance. The key rule: report a collision to DMV on an SR 1 form within 10 days if property damage is over $1,000 or anyone is injured or killed, no matter who was at fault.
Free practice questions
1You're in a collision that injures someone — to whom must you file a written accident report?
- A California Highway Patrol (CHP)
- B Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- C Your insurance company
- D Your regular auto repair shop
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B — Correct. The handbook says that if anyone is injured or killed, or property damage is over $1,000, each driver must file an SR 1 with the DMV within 10 days.
Why the other options are wrong
- A Incorrect. Injury collisions must be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours, but the required written report, the SR 1, must be filed with the DMV. The police will not file it for you.
- C Incorrect. Notifying your insurance company is for your claim, not the legally required written accident report. Your insurance agent may file the SR 1 with the DMV for you.
- D Incorrect. A repair shop has nothing to do with the required accident report.
Handbook: §10 Reporting a collision
2If you're in a collision without insurance, regardless of who's at fault, what can happen to you?
- A Your driving privilege can be suspended for up to 4 years
- B You just need to buy insurance afterward and it's fine
- C There's no consequence — insurance is only optional to begin with
- D It only affects loan applications, not your driver's license
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A — Correct. The handbook says that if you are in a collision without insurance, your driving privilege can be suspended for up to 4 years; you may get it back sooner during the last 3 years by providing proof of insurance (SR 22/SR 1P).
Why the other options are wrong
- B Incorrect. Buying insurance afterward does not automatically cancel a suspension that has already been imposed; you still have to go through the reinstatement process.
- C Incorrect. California law requires drivers to have proof of financial responsibility (insurance), and a collision without insurance has serious consequences.
- D Incorrect. A collision without insurance directly affects your driving privilege itself, which will be suspended.
Handbook: §10 Driving without insurance
3Plenty of drivers slow down to rubberneck at a crash scene. Doing this:
- A Helps arriving ambulances find the scene faster
- B Makes congestion around the scene worse and can trigger more crashes
- C Raises everyone's safety awareness — it's good public education
- D Breaks traffic law, and police can ticket you for it
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B — Correct. The handbook says to avoid driving near a collision; when traffic isn't blocked, the injured get help faster, and rubbernecking can also cause secondary crashes.
Why the other options are wrong
- A Incorrect. Ambulances find the scene through dispatch; rubbernecking only clogs the road. The handbook says not to block the way for emergency responders.
- C Incorrect. Rubbernecking is distracted driving, which the handbook lists as one of the most common causes of collisions. It is not safety education.
- D Incorrect. The handbook does not list slowing down to look as a separate ticketable offense; the main problem is that it is unsafe.
Handbook: §10 Collisions (passing a crash scene)
Practice all 35 Collisions & insurance questions
The full bank has 1,000+ questions across 15 topics, each explained option by option and available in 8 languages beside the original English.
What you need to know
- Minimum insurance: $30,000 for a single death or injury, $60,000 for death or injury to more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage. §10
- File an SR 1 with DMV within 10 days if the collision caused more than $1,000 in property damage or anyone was injured or killed — even minor injuries, even on private property, and whether or not you caused it. §10
- Law enforcement will not file the SR 1 for you, and your driving privilege will be suspended if you fail to file it. §10
- If anyone is injured or killed, you must report to law enforcement within 24 hours; your insurance agent, broker, or legal representative can also file it. §10
- You must stop after any collision; leaving the scene is a hit-and-run with severe penalties. Call 911 if anyone is hurt; if no one is hurt, move your vehicle out of traffic. §10
- Show your driver's license, registration, insurance information, and current address to the other driver, the officer, and anyone involved. §10
- If you hit a parked car or property and cannot find the owner, leave a securely attached note with your name, phone number, and address, and report it to law enforcement. §10
- If you are in a collision without proper insurance, your driving privilege will be suspended for up to four years, regardless of fault. Parents or guardians are financially responsible for drivers under 18. §10
Common traps on the test
- Thinking a police report means you do not need to file an SR 1 — law enforcement will not make the DMV report for you.
- Thinking only the at-fault driver must report — each driver must file, whether or not they caused the collision.
- Assuming crashes on private property are exempt — the SR 1 requirement applies even on private property.
FAQ
When do I have to report a car accident to the California DMV?
Within 10 days if there was more than $1,000 in property damage or anyone was injured (even minor) or killed. Each driver files an SR 1, regardless of fault.
What is the minimum car insurance in California?
$30,000 for injury or death of one person, $60,000 for injury or death of more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage.