Car Accidents

Key Takeaways

• Missouri requires drivers to carry minimum liability and uninsured motorist coverage before registering a vehicle.
• Missouri follows a fault-based system, so injured drivers pursue compensation from the driver who caused the crash.
• Drivers must report accidents to Missouri’s Driver License Bureau when an uninsured motorist causes injury or property damage over $500.

Key Takeaways

• Missouri has no statewide law that bans open alcohol containers inside a moving personal vehicle.
• State law only prohibits the driver from consuming alcohol while the vehicle is in motion.
• Passengers may legally drink alcohol in a personal vehicle as long as they meet the legal age.

Key Takeaways

• Insurance companies can refuse a whiplash claim when medical evidence or proof of fault is incomplete.
• Delayed treatment gives insurers a reason to question whether the crash caused the injury.
• Missouri law generally allows five years to file a personal injury claim after a crash.

Key Takeaways

• Missouri law generally requires drivers involved in crashes causing injury, death, or significant property damage to stop, exchange information, and report the accident.
• Missouri’s statute of limitations gives most injury victims five years to file a personal injury claim.

Key Takeaways

• Drivers exiting driveways in Missouri must yield to all oncoming traffic before entering the roadway.
• Missouri uses a pure comparative fault system, meaning multiple parties can share liability.
• Distracted driving and limited sightlines are among the most common causes of driveway crashes.

Key Takeaways

• Rear-end, T-bone, and head-on collisions are among the most frequent crash types on Missouri roads.
• Distracted driving, speeding, and impaired driving are the leading causes of crashes statewide.
• Missouri law requires minimum liability coverage, but uninsured drivers leave injured victims with limited options.