Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (2026)
Accidents involving damage to vehicle
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to the scene of the accident as possible or shall return to and in any event remain at the scene of the accident. After all parties have determined and agreed that there is only damage to the vehicles and no suspected injury of any kind to drivers or passengers, all parties shall remain at the scene of the accident until the requirements of § 55-10-103 have been met. The stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. The requirements of this subsection (a) apply to accidents occurring upon highways and the premises of any shopping center, trailer park, or apartment house complex, or any other premises that are generally frequented by the public at large.
- (b)
- (1) Any person failing to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) under those circumstances, in which damage done to vehicles or property not owned or operated by the person charged with a violation of this section does not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) or would appear to a reasonable person not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), commits a Class B misdemeanor and may be punished pursuant to § 55-10-301(b).
- (2) Any person failing to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) under those circumstances, in which damage done to vehicles or property not owned or operated by the person charged with a violation of this section exceeds one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) or would appear to a reasonable person to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), commits a Class A misdemeanor and in addition thereto may be punished pursuant to § 55-10-101(c).
- (3) In addition to the penalties listed in subdivisions (b)(1) and (2), the commissioner of safety shall suspend the driver license or nonresident motor vehicle operating privilege of any person failing to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) under those circumstances, if the person is also not in compliance with the Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law, compiled in chapter 12, part 1 of this title. Any suspension under this subdivision (b)(3) shall be for a minimum of one (1) year. Notice of the suspension of the driver license shall be sent by United States mail not less than twenty (20) days prior to the effective date of suspension. The notice shall state that the person is entitled to an administrative hearing held by the commissioner of safety, or the commissioner's designee, pursuant to a request under § 55-12-103(a). A person whose motor vehicle operating privileges have been so suspended may obtain restoration of driving privileges by paying a restoration fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to the commissioner of safety following the expiration of the suspension period.
- (c) With respect to an ADS-operated vehicle, as defined by § 55-30-102, the requirements of subsection (a) are satisfied if the motor vehicle's owner, or a person on behalf of the motor vehicle's owner, promptly contacts a law enforcement officer or agency to report the accident and the ADS-operated vehicle remains on the scene of the accident as otherwise required by law.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 555, s 1, eff. 1/1/2019.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 474, s 10, eff. 6/6/2017.
Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 523, s 1, eff. 7/1/2015.
Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 79; T.C.A., § 59-1002; Acts 1984, ch. 758, § 2; 1988, ch. 788, § 1; 1989, ch. 263, § 1; 1989, ch. 591, § 113.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2000–2025 · leading case: State of Tennessee v. Fernando Ballard (Tenn. Crim. App. 2025).
State of Tennessee v. Fernando Ballard (Tenn. Crim. App. 2025). “The Sevier County arrest warrant charging Defendant with fleeing the scene of an accident cites Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-102, which makes fleeing the scene of an accident a Class A misdemeanor where the damage caused by the defendant exceeds $1,500.”
State v. Ronald D. Correll (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010). “With respect to the appellant’s conviction of leaving the scene of an accident, Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (a) (1998) provides: The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall immediately…”
State of Tennessee v. Andrew Phillip Stover (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003). “-3- Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (b)(2) (1998).”
State of Tennessee v. Jashua Shannon Sides - Dissenting (Tenn. Crim. App. 2001). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (a). If, as the Folds opinion maintains, the legislature were only concerned with the public safety and evidentiary concerns attendant to DUI cases it would have limited Section 40-7-103(a)(6) to DUI cases only.”
State of Tennessee v. Jashua Shannon Sides (Tenn. Crim. App. 2001). “It is apparent from a review of the hearing that the state, defense counsel, and the trial court felt that Officer Kerr had probable cause to believe the defendant left the scene of an accident with property damage in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (a).1 Accordingly,…”
State of Tennessee v. Sybil Baker (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003). “Additio nally, we note that in the instant case, leaving the scene of an accident is a Class C misdemeanor, and the punishment for leaving the scene of an accident is set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-102(b )(2). The State presented proof at the sentencing…”
State of Tennessee v. Rodney Lee Scott (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017). “” T.C.A. § 55-10-102(a) (2013).9 The trial court instructed the jury on necessity as an affirmative defense.”
Hodge v. Blount Cnty. (E.D. Tenn. 2020). “2019) (citing Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-10-102 , 55-10-203(a)(4), 55-10-207(b)(1) & (h)(1); Harris v.”
State v. Ralph Dewayne Moore (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (b)(2). After the plea agreement, the trial court was unable to proceed with a scheduled sentencing hearing because the defendant had failed to contact his probation officer.”
State of Tennessee v. Daniel Cleveland & Matthew Harville (Tenn. Crim. App. 2005). “defined in § 39-13-213; (iii) Involuntary manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle; (iv) Vehicular assault as defined in § 39-13-106; (v) A violation of § 55-8-151(a), relating to meeting or overtaking school buses; (vi) A violation of § 55-10-101(a),…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102(a) — 2 cases
State of Tennessee v. Rodney Lee Scott (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017). “” T.C.A. § 55-10-102(a) (2013).9 The trial court instructed the jury on necessity as an affirmative defense.”
State of Tennessee v. Jashua Shannon Sides - Dissenting (Tenn. Crim. App. 2001). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 (a). If, as the Folds opinion maintains, the legislature were only concerned with the public safety and evidentiary concerns attendant to DUI cases it would have limited Section 40-7-103(a)(6) to DUI cases only.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102(b)(2) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Sybil Baker (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003). “Additio nally, we note that in the instant case, leaving the scene of an accident is a Class C misdemeanor, and the punishment for leaving the scene of an accident is set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-102(b )(2). The State presented proof at the sentencing…”
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