Maryland's Washington Metro Region MOVE IT Program : Policy

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Maryland State Police, Montgomery County and Prince George’s
County Police Departments’ Motor Vehicle Property Damage
Collision Policy

As you are well aware, heavy traffic is a fact of life for the citizens of the Washington Metropolitan Region. Unfortunately, increased collisions come hand in hand with heavy traffic. Every year, State and County police and fire rescue personnel respond to more than 55,000 collisions. Many of these collisions are only property damage, but still place a tremendous drain on the resources of our emergency services. Many drivers, when involved in a collision, leave their vehicles in the roadway, which contributes to traffic backup and can cause additional collisions. For your safety and the safety of other motorists, if you are involved in a property damage collision and your vehicle can be safely driven, MOVE IT safely off the road and exchange information with the other party in the collision. There is no need to wait for the police to arrive.

I'VE JUST HAD A COLLISION, WHAT DO I DO?

CHECK FOR INJURIES

Call 911 to notify fire-rescue and police immediately if anyone is injured.

If there are no injuries and your car can be driven, MOVE IT off the roadway.

If your vehicle can't be moved, warn oncoming traffic to prevent further collisions.

Use your vehicle’s hazard lights

Raise the hood of your vehicle

Use flares or a flashlight at night

Be patient when crossing the roadway or stopping traffic – this can be dangerous

EXCHANGE INFORMATION

(See Collision Information Exchange Form)

Give to everyone involved in the collision

Your name and vehicle owner’s name

Your address and vehicle owner’s address

Your phone number

Your driver’s license number

Your vehicle information

Your insurance information

Get from everyone involved in the collision

Name

Address

Phone number

Driver’s license number

Vehicle information

Insurance information

Get from witnesses

Names

Addresses

Phone numbers

WHEN IS IT NECESSARY TO CALL THE POLICE?

When there are injuries
When one of the vehicles cannot be safely moved
When a driver appears to be intoxicated
When a driver does not have a driver’s license
When a driver attempts to leave the scene without providing the proper information

DO I NEED A POLICE REPORT?

No. A report is not necessary if there is no injury and the vehicles can be driven off the roadway.
Yes. The police will complete a report if there is personal injury; or a vehicle cannot be moved; or a driver is intoxicated, unlicensed, or leaves the scene.

POLICE POLICY

The policy of the police is to investigate traffic collisions resulting in death or personal injury. In addition, officers will investigate property damage collisions where a vehicle cannot be safely driven from the scene and those involving drivers who are intoxicated, unlicensed, or leave the scene. It is no longer necessary for anyone involved in a property damage collision to file a report with the Maryland State Motor Vehicle Administration or the Police Department. The driver of any vehicle involved in a property damage collision, in which the vehicles are driveable, should move the vehicles out of the roadway and exchange information. There is no need to contact the police for collisions that are not routinely investigated.

Click here to go to the Collision Information Exchange Form