Virginia Hit & Run and Car Accident Law
What the Code of Virginia requires after a collision, and what it costs when a driver does not
Virginia's hit-and-run sections in plain English: the duty to stop and report, the attended and unattended split, and where the felony line sits.
Every page cites the Code of Virginia, links to the official text, and shows the date it was last checked. How these guides are researched.
Hit and Run
Three guides to what Virginia requires of a driver after a collision: the charge itself, the separate rule for a parked car, and leaving the scene.
- Hit and Run, Virginia: What the Code Requires and What It Costs
What counts as a hit and run in Virginia, the attended and unattended split in Va. Code §§ 46.2-894 and 46.2-896, and the penalty for each.
- Hit and Run, Virginia: Parked Car Duties Under § 46.2-896
Hit and run in Virginia involving a parked car: Va. Code § 46.2-896 requires finding the owner, a note with contact details and a written report in 24 hours.
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident, VA: The Charge on a Virginia Summons
Leaving the scene of an accident in Virginia: the duties in Va. Code §§ 46.2-894 and 46.2-896, who else can be charged, and which court hears the case.
Penalties
Three guides to what a Virginia hit and run costs: the felony thresholds, the three misdemeanor classes, and the consolidated fine and points table.
- Felony Hit and Run, Virginia: The Two Felonies in the Code
Felony hit and run in Virginia: Va. Code § 46.2-894 makes it a Class 5 felony for injury, death or over $1,000 of damage. Below that it is a misdemeanor.
- Hit and Run, Virginia: Penalty by Class
The penalty for a hit and run in Virginia, from a $250 fine under Va. Code § 46.2-900 to a Class 5 felony under § 46.2-894, with the license consequences.
- Misdemeanor Hit and Run, VA: The Three Classes in the Code
When a hit and run is a misdemeanor in Virginia: Class 1 under Va. Code § 46.2-894, and Class 1 or Class 4 under § 46.2-900 for unattended property.
Code Sections
Two guides to the statutes: the whole article section by section, and the attended-versus-unattended line that decides which one applies.
- The VA Code Hit and Run Article, Section by Section
The VA code on hit and run, section by section: §§ 46.2-894 to 46.2-900, which one applies to which accident, and where each penalty comes from.
- VA Code, Hit and Run, Unattended Property: Which Section, Which Class
The VA code on hit and run and unattended property: why § 46.2-896 covers a parked car, and where the $250 and $1,000 lines sit.
After a Crash
Two guides to the crash itself rather than the charge: who must report what, and whether Virginia is a no-fault state.
- Is Virginia an At-Fault State? The Answer and Its Limits
Is Virginia an at fault state? Yes, and it still uses contributory negligence — a driver even slightly to blame for a crash may recover nothing.
- Virginia Car Accident Laws: What the Code Requires After a Crash
Virginia car accident laws: the duty to stop under Va. Code § 46.2-894, who must report a crash, the $3,000 police report line, and the civil deadlines.