Missouri Highway Patrol Crash (2024)

FAQs

What happens if the person at fault in an accident has no insurance in Missouri? ›

In this situation, you would use your own policy's uninsured motorist (UM) protection, which Missouri law requires. Your medical expenses, past and future lost wages, pain and suffering, and other emotional harms will all be covered by this coverage. You can get back as much as your policy's UM allowance.

Distracted Driving

At the top of the list, distracted driving is the number one cause of car accidents in the U.S. each year, and though it is a recognized issue, it is becoming increasingly worse. Distracted driving can lead to serious car accidents, often resulting in severe injuries or fatalities.

If you have questions regarding requests for Highway Patrol investigated traffic crash reports, you may telephone the appropriate troop headquarters or the Patrol Records Division at (573) 526-6113, ext. 1702. NOTE: The Patrol is currently experiencing a backlog of crash reports.

Criminal Consequences of Leaving an Accident Scene in Missouri. Leaving the scene of an accident in Missouri is generally a class A misdemeanor, which comes with criminal penalties of up to one year in jail, driver's license suspension, and a fine of $1,000 if you are convicted.

Missouri is an at-fault state for car accidents. Missouri requires its residents to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage in their auto policies. Liability coverage should pay your medical expenses and related damages if you are injured in an accident that was caused by another driver.

In 2013, Missouri enacted what has become known as the “No Pay, No Play” law.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 3, 2018) — Drunk driving claimed the lives of almost 11,000 people in 2017 and 2016, according to new data released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that shows drunk driving remains the leading cause of death on our nation's roads.

Rear-End Collisions

According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most common type of accidents that happen on the roads of U.S. are rear-ends.

Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention.

Under Missouri law, an accident shall be reported within 30 days if any owner/operator of an involved vehicle is uninsured and one of the following circ*mstances are met: anybody is injured. anybody is killed.

Are accident reports public record in Missouri? ›

All information on crash reports is considered an "open record" and cannot be withheld from the public.

In general, police reports are considered public information. There are exceptions in Missouri Law that allow certain parts of a report to be blacked out, or not accessible to the general public. Copies of these reports are not faxed out or emailed.

You might be wondering, How long does an accident stay on your record? Each state has a different protocol for handling how accidents appear on your driving record. A Missouri accident record will continue to show for three years following the crash, but some other infractions might stay on your record for longer.

You should never leave the scene of a car accident. Not only could leaving place you in criminal jeopardy, but it could also make it more difficult to recover monetary compensation for your injuries. It is the best thing for everyone involved in an accident to follow the law.

In Missouri, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is 5 years (Missouri Code section 516.120). This means that claims must be filed within 5 years of discovering the injury.

The law also requires you to have uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident.

Liability insurance covers you in the event you are in a covered car accident and it is determined the accident is a result of your actions. Liability insurance will cover the cost of repairing any property damaged by an accident as well as the medical bills from resulting injuries.

You must report accidents that happen in Missouri to the Driver License Bureau if: The accident happened less than one year ago, The accident involved an uninsured motorist, AND. The accident caused property damage costing more than $500, or someone was injured or killed.