Michigan Vehicle Code, section by section › MCL 257.617a
Accident; personal injury; reporting to police agency or officer; stopping required; penalty; suspension of license.
In plain terms
The same duty to stop and remain applies to any crash that causes injury; leaving one is a misdemeanor carrying up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, and the Secretary of State suspends the driver's license on conviction.
How this section works in practice
Section 617a covers the crash that injures someone without meeting the serious impairment or death standard of section 617. The duty is identical: stop, remain, and do the three things section 619 lists, or report to the nearest police agency immediately if staying at the scene would cause further harm. The penalty is a misdemeanor and a mandatory license suspension under section 319, which is often the lever that brings a fleeing driver forward, because the suspension follows the conviction automatically. For the injured person the significance is evidentiary and practical: the charge documents that the driver left, the police investigation identifies the vehicle and its owner (bringing section 401 owner liability into play), and the victim's own uninsured motorist coverage stands in for a driver who is never identified. Keep every piece of evidence from the scene, including photographs of debris and any paint transfer, because identification of the vehicle is the whole case.
Text of MCL 257.617a
Sec. 617a.
(1) The driver of a vehicle who knows or who has reason to believe that he has been involved in an accident upon public or private property that is open to travel by the public shall immediately stop his or her vehicle at the scene of the accident and shall remain there until the requirements of section 619 are fulfilled or immediately report the accident to the nearest or most convenient police agency or officer to fulfill the requirements of section 619(a) and (b) if there is a reasonable and honest belief that remaining at the scene will result in further harm. The stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.
(2) If an individual violates subsection (1) and the accident results in injury to any individual, the individual is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.
(3) The secretary of state shall suspend the operator's or chauffeur's license of an individual convicted of violating this section as provided in section 319.
History: Add. 1975, Act 170, Eff. Mar. 31, 1976 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 3, Imd. Eff. Apr. 1, 2005
Source: MCL 257.617a at legislature.mi.gov (official text). Text as published in the 2025 edition of the Michigan Compiled Laws; reviewed by Koussan Law on September 19, 2026.
Sections this one refers to
- MCL 257.619: Duties After a Crash
Practice pages
Important: This is not legal advice
This article is general information about Michigan personal injury law. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Michigan attorney about your specific situation. The laws, deadlines, procedures, and frameworks here are general guidelines that may or may not apply to your case.
Every personal injury case turns on its own unique facts. The timing, the parties, the evidence, the jurisdiction, the insurance available, and dozens of other variables can change the legal analysis. Do not rely on anything written on this website to make decisions about your case.
If you have been injured in Michigan, the only responsible step is to speak with a licensed Michigan attorney about your specific facts. Call Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000 for a free consultation, or contact a different Michigan personal injury attorney of your choosing.
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