Crashes, emergency vehicles and traffic stops

Key points

1. If you are involved in a crash you must stop, and police must be told if anyone is injured or killed.

   Source: Handbook p. 79

   “If you are involved in an accident you must stop ■ If you are involved in an accident with a parked vehicle, you must try to locate the owner ■ If any person is injured or killed, the police must be notified”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 79

2. Do not move injured people unless they are in a burning car or other immediate danger.

   Source: Handbook p. 80

   “Do not move the injured, unless they are in a burning car or in other immediate danger.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 80

3. If you hit a parked car and cannot find the owner, leave a note where it can be seen.

   Source: Handbook p. 80

   “If you cannot, leave a note in a place where it can be seen with information on how the owner can reach you and the date and time of the accident.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 80

4. Report to the Highway Patrol for injury, death, or $1,000 or more damage to one person's property, within 10 days.

   Source: Handbook p. 80

   “You must report to the Highway Patrol if there is an injury, a death, or property damage of $1,000 or more to one person’s property. Accident forms are at law enforcement agencies or available from most insurance agents. You must file the report within 10 days of the accident.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 80

5. For an emergency vehicle from any direction, yield and pull to the right edge of the road and stop when safe.

   Source: Handbook p. 80

   “The drivers of other vehicles must yield the right-of-way and, when possible and safe, pull over and stop at the right edge of the road when they see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 80

6. When an officer pulls you over, turn on your right turn signal to show you have seen the officer.

   Source: Handbook p. 81

   “Acknowledge the officer’s presence by turning on your right turn signal.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 81

7. Never drive to a crash, fire or disaster just to look, since you may block rescue vehicles.

   Source: Handbook p. 79

   “Never drive to the scene of an accident, fire, or other disaster just to look. You may block the way for police, firefighters, ambulances, tow trucks, and other rescue vehicles.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 79

8. When possible, switch to a lane farther away from a stopped emergency or police vehicle.

   Source: Handbook p. 80

   “When possible, vehicles should switch to a lane farther away from the lane that the stationary vehicle is in.”
   Montana Driver Manual, Handbook p. 80

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Montana practice test

1. 1. If a driver is involved in a crash in Montana and someone is injured or killed, what must happen?

   1. A report is optional if the vehicles can be driven away
   2. The driver may leave after exchanging insurance cards
   3. Only the vehicle owner must contact law enforcement
   4. The driver must notify the police
   Show answer

   The driver must notify the police. The accident procedure requires police notification when any person is injured or killed. Whether the vehicles remain driveable does not erase that duty, and exchanging insurance information is an additional step rather than a replacement for contacting authorities. The owner-only option is too narrow because the obligation applies to the involved driver. Leaving after a private exchange can abandon people who need help and fails the stated reporting rule. A practical cue is injury or death changes a routine information exchange into an immediate law-enforcement report.

2. 2. You hit a parked car in Montana and cannot find its owner. What does the manual say to do?

   1. Drive on, since no one was in the parked car
   2. Leave a visible note saying how to reach you, with the date and time
   3. Leave your keys on the other car's windshield
   4. Call the owner's insurer and wait one hour
   Show answer

   Leave a visible note saying how to reach you, with the date and time. If a Montana crash involves a parked car, the manual says to try to find the owner first. If you cannot, leave a note in a place where it can be seen, with information on how the owner can reach you and the date and time of the accident. Montana law requires the driver to stop and either locate the owner or leave this kind of notice in a conspicuous place on the struck vehicle. Driving on with no note is leaving the scene, and keys or a long wait do not give the owner a way to contact you.

3. 3. When possible, how should a vehicle pass a stationary emergency or police vehicle displaying emergency signals?

   1. Switch to a lane farther away from the stationary vehicle
   2. Move closer to the stationary vehicle before passing
   3. Stop beside the stationary vehicle until it leaves
   4. Stay in the adjacent lane even when another lane is safely open
   Show answer

   Switch to a lane farther away from the stationary vehicle. When possible, Montana advises moving into a lane farther away from a stationary emergency or police vehicle displaying emergency signals. That extra lateral distance gives responders more working room. Moving closer reduces the buffer, stopping beside the vehicle can obstruct traffic, and staying in the adjacent lane ignores the safer option when another lane is open. Montana law (MCA 61-8-388) pairs the lane change with a required speed reduction that depends on the type of road, so do both whenever the situation allows.

Source: the Montana Driver Manual, Chapter 7: Emergencies, Crashes, and Enforcement Stops. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.