Should you be liable if you see a car accident and you don't stop?

Question

We've been discussing this is my law class and everyone argues bad about it. What's your take on it?

Answer 1

Liable, no. I believe it is the law in CA that if you are in a certain occupation such as nurse, doctor, EMT, minister you are required by law to stop. They are also covered by the Good Samaritan Law. Meaning if they stop to render aid and someone should die, they are NOT help liable. But as far as I know no one has ever been arrested for not stopping.

Answer 2

If I see a car accident, what can I accomplish by stopping? Blocking traffic, including police and rescue vehcles? If I did stop, what purpose could I serve? Provide medical aid, even though I'm not a doctor?

If someone else has stopped, what more can I do than he has already done? If I don't stop, and no one else has done so, what makes me more liable than the others? Does someone that stops after I've passed somehow relieve me of liability?

How, or who, would determine my identity to hold me liable? It's hard enough to pursue information about hit & run drivers without adding casual passersby to attempt prosecution.

There are enough police patrols AND good samaritans to call it in that we don't need to clog the courts with additional liability for several drivers who don't stop to render whatever it is that they're incapable of rendering in the first place.

Answer 3

Cinner is close but no cigar. I would imagine that a health professional witnessing an accident who failed to assist without lawful excuse might very well and probably has been held liable for injury resulting from that failure. Consider, too, that docs often retain licence plates identifying them to police in case they need to use excessive speed to reach the scene.

Answer 4

If you are involved in the accident, then I believe 100% that you should stop -- it's ILLEGAL not to!

If you're not involved in the accident, but saw it happen, you should also stop because your testimony/statements goes a long way for the victim of the accident.

The only time I believe a person is not required to stop at the scene of an accident is if they did not see EVERYTHING that happened to cause it.

Answer 5

Exactly how can you prevent a car accident. The reason it's called an accident is because one has no knowledge of when, where, or how it's going to happen.

Legally, one can't be responsible for something they have no control over.

Answer 6

I doubt in case you have had any preparation in any respect as to a thank you to estimate the fee of a motor vehicle the two crossing in front of you or passing you interior the different direction, as a results of fact the police are. The police are knowledgeable in comparing velocity of alternative autos. they'd additionally try this on the scene of an twist of destiny by employing measuring any skid marks or different tire marks on the pavement that have been made by employing the two vehicle in touch. The police checklist would be sure fault, risk one hundred% yours for no longer yielding to oncoming site visitors, or in all probability seventy 5% your fault for no longer yielding to oncoming site visitors and 25% her fault for achieveable severe velocity.

Answer 7

Nothing in the California Vehicle Codes. Found nothing requiring medical professionals to stop either. Police and Fire officers are required to help. See CVC 20016, 20017 and 20018.

Answer 8

I think so, but if we'd just do the right thing we would. It only takes a few minutes to give your phone number.