Accidents happen fast. On I-94 near the Ann Arbor interchange, on M-14 heading toward Plymouth, on Washtenaw Avenue at rush hour — a collision can unfold in seconds, and so can the decision that follows. Whether to stay or go. Most people who leave the scene do not have a calculated plan. Panic sets in, judgment goes out the window, and a bad situation becomes a much worse one. Michigan law treats leaving the scene of an accident as a serious criminal matter, and the consequences scale up quickly depending on what happened in that crash.
If you are facing these charges, or if you are worried about what might happen after an incident, understanding how Michigan law works is the first step. People often think of this as a traffic ticket issue, but it is squarely a criminal law matter, and the kind of situation where working with someone who handles criminal defense can make a meaningful difference in how things unfold.
What Michigan Law Requires After an Accident
Michigan law is clear on what drivers must do after a crash. Michigan law prohibits leaving the scene of an accident before a driver fulfills legal obligations. Under state law, drivers must stop and remain at the scene, exchange contact, vehicle, and insurance information with other parties, and provide reasonable assistance to anyone injured in the crash. That means your name, address, vehicle registration, and license — provided to the other driver, any occupants, or a police officer on the scene.
And another thing worth knowing: you can be found guilty of unlawfully leaving the scene of an accident in Michigan even if you were not at fault for causing the crash. Whether you were at fault or not, Michigan law requires you to stop at the scene if you knew or had reason to believe you had been involved in an auto accident. That surprises a lot of people. Fault in the underlying crash and the duty to remain are two separate legal questions.
There is one narrow exception. One of the only times it may be acceptable to leave the scene of an accident is when you have an honest and reasonable belief that staying at the accident scene could result in harm. Even then, the expectation is that you report to the nearest police agency as soon as possible.
Property Damage Only: Still a Criminal Offense
Leaving the scene of a minor crash without injury may seem less serious, but Michigan law still treats it as a criminal offense with notable consequences.
For hit-and-run crashes involving property damage only, the penalty is a lower-level misdemeanor. Fleeing the scene of a crash that causes damage to an attended or unattended vehicle is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $100. Six points may also be added to your driving record, which carries its own downstream consequences for your license and insurance.
In place of or in addition to fines, courts may sentence a driver to probation or community service. This can include attending driver safety classes, performing hours of volunteer work, or paying restitution. While jail time is less common for first offenses, a judge may still impose several days in jail based on the circumstances.
Frankly, the fines here look small on paper. But the criminal record and the license points are not small. In Washtenaw County and the surrounding courts, even misdemeanor convictions carry collateral consequences that follow people for years.
When Someone Is Injured, Penalties Get Much Steeper
This is where the stakes change significantly.
Under Michigan law, leaving the scene of an accident that injures another person is a criminal offense. If a hit-and-run crash causes injury, it may be a misdemeanor, with criminal penalties of up to one year in jail, fines up to $1,000, and a mandatory 90-day driver’s license suspension.
To clarify that last point: the license suspension in injury cases is mandatory, not discretionary. That is a meaningful distinction from the property-damage scenario, where licensing consequences depend more on the circumstances and the court’s judgment.
Under Michigan law, the penalties are enhanced to a felony if the accident results in serious impairment of a body function or death. If the crash results in a serious impairment of a body function or death, the offense escalates to a severe felony. Fleeing a severe injury or fatal crash scene carries a baseline penalty of up to 5 years in prison, which increases to up to 15 years in prison if the fleeing driver was at fault for causing the fatal accident.
Those are not hypothetical numbers. If the driver causes a fatality and flees the scene of the crash, he or she faces up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Michigan courts in Washtenaw, Livingston, and Monroe counties handle these cases seriously, and felony convictions at this level carry consequences that reshape every part of a person’s life.
Your License, Your Record, and Your Insurance
Beyond jail time and fines, leaving the scene triggers a cascade of administrative consequences that often outlast the criminal case itself.
A conviction can lead to immediate suspension or long-term revocation of your driver’s license. The length depends on whether the case involved property damage, injury, or death. Felony convictions typically carry longer suspensions or permanent revocation.
Michigan adds points to your driving record for leaving the scene of an accident. Accumulating too many points can result in automatic suspension or restrictions. And the insurance picture is not good either. If you are convicted of leaving the scene, you can expect your insurance rates to increase significantly. A conviction could also be used as pivotal evidence if you are sued in civil court by the victim for damages.
Reinstating your license after a hit-and-run conviction may require paying fees, completing defensive driving courses, and proving financial responsibility. That process can take years and cost considerably more than people anticipate when they are first charged.
The Insurance Angle People Often Overlook
Michigan is a no-fault state. That matters here in a specific way. No-fault insurance means your own policy pays for your medical bills and lost wages, no matter who caused the accident. If you are the victim of a hit and run, your insurance will likely cover your medical costs through Personal Injury Protection. However, if you are the at-fault driver and you flee the scene, your coverage may be denied.
So the driver who panics and leaves may end up facing criminal charges AND losing the very insurance coverage they were paying for. The attempt to avoid consequences often creates far worse ones.
What to Do If You Are Facing These Charges
The situation is stressful, and the legal landscape is more complicated than it looks from the outside. Failing to comply with driver duties after an accident can result in a criminal record, criminal penalties, and administrative sanctions by the Michigan Secretary of State. Those three categories of consequences — criminal, financial, and administrative — can all run at the same time.
In our experience, the cases that go better are the ones where someone reached out early, before statements were made to insurance adjusters or additional mistakes compounded the original problem. If you were involved in an accident in the Ann Arbor area, in Ypsilanti, or anywhere in Washtenaw County, and you are concerned about how things unfolded, we encourage you to reach out to Geherin Law Group. We are here to help you understand where you stand and what can be done.