Teen Car Accident: What to Do Next | Million Dollar Lawyer

A bearded man in glasses hugs a teenage girl in a gray hoodie on a sidewalk beside a parked hatchback with a scraped front bumper

In short

At the scene, a teen driver should check for injuries and call 911, stop and, if no one is badly hurt and it's safe, move a drivable car out of traffic, swap information, take photos and call a parent. Don't admit fault, promise to pay or post about the crash.
In Michigan, the family's own auto policy usually pays an injured teen's medical bills through personal injury protection (PIP), whoever caused the crash. Give the insurer written notice within one year (MCL 500.3105(2), 500.3114(1), 500.3145(1)).
Michigan makes a car's owner liable for injuries caused by negligent driving when the car is driven with the owner's consent or knowledge, which is presumed when a son or daughter drives, and a teen driver is held to the adult standard of care (MCL 257.401(1); M Civ JI 10.06).
A Michigan Level 2 driver can't drive from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. or carry more than one passenger under 21 outside the family, with exceptions, and Kelsey's Law bars Level 1 and 2 drivers from phone calls while driving, even hands-free, except to report emergencies. A crash in which the police report shows a moving violation by the teen extends the restrictions (MCL 257.310e, 257.602c).
An injured Michigan teen can sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering only if the injury passes the no-fault threshold, and once a lawsuit is filed, a judge must approve any settlement (MCL 500.3135(1); MCR 2.420(B)).

You were just in a car crash, maybe your first, or you’re the parent who just got the phone call. If you’re shaken up, that’s normal. Here’s what to do. At the scene, a teen driver has five jobs: check for injuries and call 911, stop and make the scene safe, swap information, take photos, and call a parent. Then the adults take over: the insurer, the crash report, the medical bills and any license questions. Rules vary by state, so Michigan’s are in the boxes marked “In Michigan.”

Was your teen hurt in a crash? Get a free case review. Four quick questions, no cost, no obligation.

What should a teen driver do right after a crash?

For the full checklist, see 10 things to do after a car accident.

1. Check for injuries and call 911

Check yourself, then your passengers, then the people in the other car. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, or if you’re not sure, and say exactly where you are. Ask for the police even if the crash seems small (California Department of Insurance). Michigan’s phone laws allow that call, even for a teen driver (MCL 257.602b(3)(b), 257.602c(2)(a)).

2. Stop, and make the scene safe

Don’t drive away, even if the damage looks tiny. Hit-and-run laws require drivers in a crash to stay at the scene and identify themselves, whoever caused it and however minor it seems (Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute). Turn on your hazard lights. If your car still drives normally and no one is badly hurt, move it out of the travel lanes; many states require this after minor crashes (Federal Highway Administration).

Then stay in your car with your seat belt buckled until help arrives; the Michigan State Police say that’s generally the safest thing to do in a roadside emergency. If you must get out, stand with the car between you and traffic. If the car catches fire, get everyone out, move at least 100 feet away and well away from traffic, and call 911 (U.S. Fire Administration). More than two cars involved? See what to do after a pileup.

3. Swap information, and watch what you say

Get the other driver’s name, phone number, license and plate numbers, insurance company and policy number, and the owner’s name if it isn’t their car; photographing their license and insurance card is easiest. Give yours in return, and get witnesses’ names and numbers.

Answer police questions honestly, and if you don’t know something, say so instead of guessing. Don’t say the crash was your fault, even to be polite; fault is decided later, from the evidence. And don’t sign statements about fault or promise to pay for the damage (California Department of Insurance). Don’t agree to leave insurance out of it, either: Michigan’s insurance regulator says to notify your insurance company right away (Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services, or DIFS).

In Michigan: After a crash on a road or on private property open to the public, a driver must stop and stay until they've met the information and help duties below, or, if they reasonably and honestly believe staying will cause further harm, report the crash right away to the nearest police agency. Leaving the scene of a crash that injures anyone or damages another vehicle is a crime (MCL 257.617, 257.617a, 257.618).

Move a drivable car out of the main traveled lanes if that can be done safely, unless the driver knows or should know someone died or suffered a serious impairment of a body function. Moving it doesn't, by itself, make the driver presumed at fault (MCL 257.618a(1), (3)).
Share information and help: give your name and address, the car's registration number and the owner's name and address, show your license, and help anyone injured get medical care (MCL 257.619). The Secretary of State's driver handbook adds insurance information.
Report it to the police immediately if the crash was on a public road and anyone was hurt or killed, or the damage appears to total $1,000 or more (MCL 257.622, 257.601), or if you hit a parked car and can't find its owner (MCL 257.620).

4. Take photos and write down what happened

Where you’re safe from traffic, photograph both cars from several angles, the plates, the damage, where the cars ended up, the road, signs and signals, the weather and any injuries. Ask the officer how to get the crash report, and write down the report number. Then write down what happened, in your own words, while it’s fresh.

Hands hold up a phone to photograph a crumpled black car fender while a person in a suit points at the damage

5. Call a parent, and let the adults handle the insurers

Call your parent or guardian as soon as you’re safe, even if you’re dreading it. If the other driver’s insurer calls you, hand the phone to a parent: you have no contract with that company (Texas Department of Insurance), so you don’t have to give it a recorded statement, and it’s safer not to before your family has had advice.

Keep the crash off social media, and ask friends not to post about it. Posts can be used against a claim, and in a lawsuit the other side can ask for relevant ones (in Michigan, MCR 2.302(B)(1)). Don’t delete anything about the crash without asking a lawyer first.

What should parents do next?

Once everyone is safe, the hard part is usually the claims process: insurers handle claims every day, and the deadlines keep running while your family recovers. In the first days:

Get your teen checked by a doctor, even if they feel fine. Some concussion symptoms may show up days or weeks later (MedlinePlus); see delayed symptoms after a crash. If your teen is scared to drive again, see recovering after a car accident.
Call your insurer right away, give it the information it reasonably asks for and cooperate as your policy requires (DIFS).
Get the crash report and check it for mistakes; here’s how to order a Michigan crash report.

In Michigan: Personal injury protection (PIP) pays for reasonably necessary medical care, up to the coverage level on the policy, and, if your teen has a job, most lost pay, whoever caused the crash (MCL 500.3105(2), 500.3107(1), 500.3107c).

Your policy usually pays. PIP covers "the person named in the policy, the person's spouse, and a relative of either domiciled in the same household" (MCL 500.3114(1)), so your policy covers a teen who lives with you whether they were driving, riding with a friend or walking (MCL 500.3115). Your teen's passengers claim from their own household's policy, or through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan if there isn't one (MCL 500.3114(1), (4)).
Written notice within a year. Unless the insurer has already paid PIP benefits, give it written notice of the injury within one year of the crash. You can send it for your teen, with the claimant's name and address, who was hurt, and the time, place and nature of the injury (MCL 500.3145(1), (4)). See what Michigan PIP pays.

Will the crash affect your teen’s license?

It can. Every state has adopted graduated licensing, which phases in full driving privileges (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS).

In Michigan:

Level 2: no driving from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and no more than one passenger under 21 outside the immediate family, unless a parent, guardian or licensed driver 21 or older they designate is along, or the teen is driving for work, or to or from work or an "authorized activity" such as school or a school event, an organized sport or a religious organization's event (MCL 257.310e(6), (15)).
After a crash: if the crash goes on the teen's driving record with an official police report indicating a moving violation by the teen, the Level 1 or Level 2 restrictions are extended, and the full Level 3 license, from age 17, requires 12 consecutive months without a moving violation, a crash in which the teen committed one, a suspension or a restriction violation (MCL 257.310e(7)–(9)). Until 18, a parent can also ask the Secretary of State to hold a teen at the current level or cancel the license (Michigan Department of State).
Phones: since June 30, 2023, no driver may hold or use a phone while driving, even at a red light, except for emergencies and limited hands-free use (MCL 257.602b). Under Kelsey's Law, Level 1 and 2 drivers also may not make, answer or talk on a call, even hands-free, except to report a crash, a medical emergency or a serious road hazard, a threat to their safety or a crime (MCL 257.602c).

Are parents liable when a teen crashes the family car?

If you own the car, you can be, depending on your state’s law. And a teen driver doesn’t get a pass for being young: a minor who drives is generally held to the same standard of care as an adult (Restatement (Second) of Torts § 283A, cited in the comment to Michigan’s model jury instruction M Civ JI 12.07); see the duties every driver owes.

In Michigan: The model jury instructions apply the adult standard when a minor was driving (M Civ JI 10.06, note on use, citing Constantino v Wolverine Ins Co, 1979). And "the owner of a motor vehicle is liable for an injury caused by the negligent operation of the motor vehicle" when it's driven "with the owner's express or implied consent or knowledge," which is presumed when the driver is the owner's "son, daughter, or other immediate member of the family" (MCL 257.401(1)). The section's only dollar caps are for companies that rent or lease cars for 30 days or less (MCL 257.401(3)).

No-fault narrows the claims. When the car was insured, lawsuits over a Michigan crash are limited mainly to pain and suffering for injuries that meet the threshold, economic losses above PIP's limits and up to $3,000 of vehicle damage insurance doesn't cover (MCL 500.3135(1), (3)); see the Michigan mini-tort.
Check your liability limits. On policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2020, they're at least $250,000 per person and $500,000 per crash unless the policyholder chose lower limits on a signed form, down to $50,000 and $100,000 (MCL 500.3009(1), (5)).
Check for an excluded driver. If your policy names your teen as an excluded driver, the exclusion is valid only if the policy papers warn that when that person drives, "all liability coverage is void—no one is insured," and the car's owners "remain fully personally liable" (MCL 500.3009(2)). An excluded driver can't get PIP benefits for injuries suffered while driving that car, either (MCL 500.3113(d)).

If your family is sued, notify your insurer immediately and send it the papers (California Department of Insurance).

Is an insurer already calling about your teen's crash? Get a free case review. Four quick questions, no cost, no obligation.

When does an injured teen have a claim?

If another driver caused the crash, your teen may also have a claim against that driver.

In Michigan:

Pain and suffering needs death, a "serious impairment of body function," which doesn't have to be permanent, or permanent serious disfigurement (MCL 500.3135(1), (5)); see how the threshold works. Your teen's share of fault reduces those damages, and more than 50% bars them (MCL 500.3135(2)(b)); see comparative fault in Michigan.
Medical bills. PIP usually pays them first, so a claim against the at-fault driver for medical costs generally covers only what's above PIP's limits (MCL 500.3135(3)(c)).
Why a judge approves the settlement. Once a lawsuit is filed, the judge "shall pass on the fairness" of any settlement, and the teen usually must appear so the judge can see the injury. If more than $5,000 will be paid at once or in any single year, the probate court must appoint a conservator to receive it. Before a lawsuit, the Estates and Protected Individuals Code applies instead (MCR 2.420).
Deadlines. A lawsuit against the at-fault driver: 3 years, or until a year after the teen's 18th birthday if that's later (MCL 600.5805(2), 600.5851(1)). Plan on 3 years for the parents' own claim for the teen's medical expenses, which doesn't get the extra time (Walter v City of Flint, 1972, over a 17-year-old passenger's injuries). Nor does the extra time lift the rule that a lawsuit for unpaid PIP benefits can generally recover only losses from the year before it's filed (MCL 500.3145(2); Joseph v Auto Club Ins Ass'n, 2012). See every Michigan injury deadline.

How common are teen crashes?

The CDC says the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens 16 to 19 than among any other age group. Per mile driven, their fatal crash rate is just over three times that of drivers 20 and older, and highest at 16 and 17 (IIHS, based on 2022 data). In 2024, drivers ages 15 to 20 were 5.2% of licensed drivers but 9% of the drivers in fatal crashes; 2,162 of them died, and an estimated 184,129 were injured. In Michigan that year, crashes involving a driver that age killed 131 people, including 53 of the young drivers (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA). For safer habits behind the wheel, see defensive driving tips.

What to do next

Get your teen checked by a doctor, and keep every record and bill.
Call your insurer now, and in Michigan, send written notice well before the one-year PIP deadline.
Get the crash report and check it for mistakes.
Keep your teen away from the other driver’s insurer, and don’t sign a release until you know how badly your teen was hurt.
Get advice before you settle anything. Get a free case review, or compare Michigan injury lawyers.

What waiting can cost

Evidence. Cars get repaired, video gets recorded over and witnesses get hard to find.
PIP benefits. Without written notice within a year, a lawsuit for Michigan PIP benefits can be barred, and even a timely one generally recovers only the last year’s losses (MCL 500.3145(1), (2)).
The parents’ own claim. It doesn’t get the child’s extra time (Walter).

What a good outcome looks like

Everyone who was hurt gets care, and your teen drives again when ready, with the rules clear. PIP pays on time, the crash report gets the facts right, and any settlement for your teen is fair and protected. From a scared phone call on the side of the road to knowing what to do at the scene, who pays and which deadlines matter to your family.

For more, see our car accident lawsuit guide or browse car, truck and motorcycle accident guides.

Frequently asked questions

What should a teen do right after a car accident?

Check for injuries and call 911, stop and make the scene safe, swap names, license, plate and insurance details, take photos and write down what happened, then call a parent. Don't drive away: hit-and-run laws require drivers to stay at the scene and identify themselves, however minor the crash (Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute). Don't admit fault, don't sign statements about fault or promise to pay for the damage (California Department of Insurance), and keep the crash off social media.

Can a teen driver use a phone after a crash under Kelsey's Law?

Yes, to report it. Michigan's Kelsey's Law bars drivers with a Level 1 or Level 2 license from making, answering or talking on a phone call while driving, even hands-free, but it doesn't apply to a call to report a traffic accident, a medical emergency or a serious road hazard (MCL 257.602c). The hands-free law that covers every driver also allows calling or texting 911 in an emergency (MCL 257.602b(3)(b)).

Whose insurance pays if my teen is hurt in a car accident in Michigan?

Usually your own. A personal injury protection (PIP) policy covers the person named in it, their spouse and relatives who live with them, so your policy pays your teen's medical bills whether your teen was driving, riding in a friend's car or walking, and whoever caused the crash (MCL 500.3105(2), 500.3114(1), 500.3115). If no one in the household has a Michigan auto policy, a teen hurt as a passenger claims through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MCL 500.3114(4)).

Are parents liable if their teen crashes the family car in Michigan?

If they own the car, they can be. The owner is liable for injuries caused by negligent driving of the car when it's driven with the owner's 'express or implied consent or knowledge,' which is presumed when the driver is the owner's son, daughter or other immediate family member (MCL 257.401(1)). No-fault limits what injured people can sue for, mainly to pain and suffering for injuries that meet the threshold, economic losses above PIP's limits and up to $3,000 of uncovered vehicle damage (MCL 500.3135(1), (3)). Check your liability limits, and whether your policy names your teen as an excluded driver (MCL 500.3009).

Will a car accident affect my teen's graduated driver's license?

It can. If the crash goes on your teen's driving record with an official police report indicating a moving violation by your teen, Michigan extends the Level 1 or Level 2 restrictions, and the full Level 3 license requires 12 consecutive months without a moving violation, a crash in which the teen committed one, a suspension or a restriction violation (MCL 257.310e(7)–(9)). Until 18, a parent can also ask the Secretary of State to hold a teen at the current level or cancel the graduated license (Michigan Department of State).

How long does an injured teen have to file a claim in Michigan?

Give the auto insurer written notice within one year of the crash to protect PIP benefits; a parent can send it (MCL 500.3145(1), (4)). A lawsuit against the at-fault driver generally must be filed within 3 years, or by a year after the teen's 18th birthday if that's later (MCL 600.5805(2), 600.5851(1)). That extra time doesn't extend the parents' own claim for the teen's medical expenses (Walter v City of Flint, 1972), and it doesn't lift the rule that a lawsuit for unpaid PIP benefits can generally recover only losses from the year before it's filed (Joseph v Auto Club Ins Ass'n, 2012).

Sources

MCL 257.310e, Graduated licensing · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.401, Owner's liability for negligent operation · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.601, Operation of vehicles on highways; scope of the rules of the road · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.602b, Holding or using a mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.602c, Level 1 and level 2 graduated license holders; cell phone use (Kelsey's law) · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.617, Duty to stop after a crash causing serious impairment or death · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.617a, Duty to stop after a crash causing injury · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.618, Duty to stop after a crash damaging a vehicle · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.618a, Moving a vehicle out of the roadway after a crash · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.619, Duty to give information and render aid · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.620, Hitting an attended or unattended vehicle; notifying the owner or police · Michigan Legislature
MCL 257.622, Duty to report crashes involving injury, death or $1,000 in property damage · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3009, Liability policy limits; named excluded drivers · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3105, PIP benefits payable without regard to fault · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3107, Allowable expenses, work loss and replacement services · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3107c, PIP medical coverage levels · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3113, People not entitled to PIP benefits · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3114, Order of priority for PIP claims · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3115, PIP claims by people who were not in a vehicle · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3135, Tort liability, serious impairment of body function and the mini-tort · Michigan Legislature
MCL 500.3145, Limitations on actions for PIP benefits; notice of injury · Michigan Legislature
MCL 600.5805, Injuries to persons or property; periods of limitations · Michigan Legislature
MCL 600.5851, Claims by minors; year of grace · Michigan Legislature
Michigan Court Rules (updated September 2, 2026): MCR 2.302(B)(1) and 2.420 · Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Model Civil Jury Instructions (updated July 21, 2026): M Civ JI 10.06 and 12.07, citing Constantino v Wolverine Ins Co, 407 Mich 896 (1979) · Michigan Supreme Court, Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions
Walter v City of Flint, 40 Mich App 613 (1972) · Michigan Court of Appeals, via the Caselaw Access Project (Harvard Law School)
Joseph v Auto Club Ins Ass'n, 491 Mich 200 (2012) · Michigan Supreme Court
How to Handle a Roadside Emergency · Michigan State Police, Office of Highway Safety Planning
Vehicle Fire Safety · U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA)
Concussion (health topic, last updated November 24, 2025) · MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
New drivers (under 18): graduated driver licensing · Michigan Department of State
What Every Driver Must Know (October 2025), Chapter 7: Emergencies and Special Situations (Crashes) · Michigan Department of State
Insurance Policies and How to Claim What's Yours (FIS-PUB 0216A) · Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services
So You've Had an Accident, What's Next? · California Department of Insurance
Accident not your fault? Here's how to deal with the other driver's insurance · Texas Department of Insurance
Hit and run statute (Wex legal dictionary) · Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Traffic Incident Management Quick Clearance Laws: Driver Removal Laws (FHWA-HOP-09-005, December 2008) · Federal Highway Administration
Risk Factors for Teen Drivers (updated August 4, 2025) · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Fatality Facts 2024: Teenagers (June 2026) · Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Young Drivers: 2024 Data (DOT HS 813 814, July 2026) · National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Updated September 29, 2026

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. For advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state. Reading this page or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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