# Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-101: Accidents involving death or personal injury > Tennessee · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-101 ## Section - **Citation:** Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-101 - **Heading:** Accidents involving death or personal injury - **Jurisdiction:** Tennessee - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** TN Code / Title 55 / Chapter 10 / Section 55-10-101 ## Text (a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to the scene as possible, but shall then return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until the driver has fulfilled the requirements of § 55-10-103 . The stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. The requirements in this subsection (a) apply to accidents occurring upon highways and the premises of any shopping center, trailer park or any apartment house complex, or any other premises that are generally frequented by the public at large. (b) (1) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. (2) (A) It is a Class E felony for any person to fail to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) when the person knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted from the accident. (B) If, as a result of the same course of conduct, a person who is charged with a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) is also charged with the offense of vehicular assault under § 39-13-106 , vehicular homicide under § 39-13-213 or aggravated vehicular homicide under § 39-13-218 , any sentence imposed for a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) shall be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for the applicable assault or homicide offense. (c) The commissioner shall revoke the license or permit to drive and any nonresident operating privilege of the person convicted of a violation of this section. (d) As used in this part, "accident" includes any collision or crash, regardless of the degree of care exercised by the drivers involved or whether it was the result of criminal conduct. (e) 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. 1046, s 4, eff. 7/1/2018. Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 474, s 10, eff. 6/6/2017. Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 164, s 1, eff. 7/1/2015. Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 78; 1976, ch. 674, § 1; T.C.A., § 59-1001; Acts 1984, ch. 758, § 1; 1988, ch. 788, § 1; 1989, ch. 323, § 1; 1989, ch. 591, §§ 1, 6, 111; 2008 , ch. 1167, § 1. (a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close to the scene as possible, but shall then return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until the driver has fulfilled the requirements of § 55-10-103 . The stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. The requirements in this subsection (a) apply to accidents occurring upon highways and the premises of any shopping center, trailer park or any apartment house complex, or any other premises that are generally frequented by the public at large. of the accident until the driver has fulfilled the requirements of § 55-10-103 . The stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. The requirements in this subsection (a) apply to accidents occurring upon highways and the premises of any shopping center, trailer park or any apartment house complex, or any other premises that are generally frequented by the public at large. (b) (1) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. (2) (A) It is a Class E felony for any person to fail to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) when the person knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted from the accident. (B) If, as a result of the same course of conduct, a person who is charged with a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) is also charged with the offense of vehicular assault under § 39-13-106 , vehicular homicide under § 39-13-213 or aggravated vehicular homicide under § 39-13-218 , any sentence imposed for a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) shall be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for the applicable assault or homicide offense. (1) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. (2) (A) It is a Class E felony for any person to fail to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) when the person knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted from the accident. (B) If, as a result of the same course of conduct, a person who is charged with a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) is also charged with the offense of vehicular assault under § 39-13-106 , vehicular homicide under § 39-13-213 or aggravated vehicular homicide under § 39-13-218 , any sentence imposed for a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) shall be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for the applicable assault or homicide offense. (A) It is a Class E felony for any person to fail to stop or to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) when the person knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted from the accident. (B) If, as a result of the same course of conduct, a person who is charged with a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) is also charged with the offense of vehicular assault under § 39-13-106 , vehicular homicide under § 39-13-213 or aggravated vehicular homicide under § 39-13-218 , any sentence imposed for a violation of subdivision (b)(2)(A) shall be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for the applicable assault or homicide offense. (c) The commissioner shall revoke the license or permit to drive and any nonresident operating privilege of the person convicted of a violation of this section. (d) As used in this part, "accident" includes any collision or crash, regardless of the degree of care exercised by the drivers involved or whether it was the result of criminal conduct. (e) 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. 1046, s 4, eff. 7/1/2018. Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 474, s 10, eff. 6/6/2017. Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 164, s 1, eff. 7/1/2015. Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 78; 1976, ch. 674, § 1; T.C.A., § 59-1001; Acts 1984, ch. 758, § 1; 1988, ch. 788, § 1; 1989, ch. 323, § 1; 1989, ch. 591, §§ 1, 6, 111; 2008 , ch. 1167, § 1. ## Nearby sections - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-101 Accidents involving death or personal injury](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-101.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-102 Accidents involving damage to vehicle](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-102.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-103 Duty to give information and render aid](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-103.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-104 Duty upon striking unattended vehicles](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-104.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-105 Duty upon striking fixtures - ADS-operated vehicle](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-105.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-106 Immediate notice of accident](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-106.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-107 Written report of accident](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-107.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-108 Additional information - Request for copy of report - Reports open to public inspection - Prohibited uses](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-108.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-109 When driver unable to report](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-109.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-110 False reports](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-110.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-111 Accident report forms - Penalty for failure to report](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-111.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-112 Coroner's report](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-112.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-113 Garages to report](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-113.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-114 Public inspection of reports relating to accidents](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-114.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T55_C10_S55-10-101. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.