If you’re involved in a car accident in Wyoming, you’ll have to report to the police and your insurance company ASAP. You could claim damages through your insurance provider or a personal injury lawsuit if you’re less than 50% at fault.

Car accidents are jarring, literally and figuratively, so it can be difficult to remember what to do after the fact. That’s why it’s important to know your state’s car accident laws before you’re standing on the highway staring at your smashed car. It's also good to know how it could affect the

cost of car insurance in Wyoming.

Car accident laws can be confusing, so that’s why the

car insurance

comparison shopping app,

Jerry

, is here to help clarify Wyoming’s guidelines—from reporting the accident and financial responsibility to personal injury lawsuits and comparative fault.

What to do after a crash: Wyoming car accident reporting laws

The

first thing you need to do after an accident

is to check that everyone in your car is safe. You’ll need to check for any injuries, then call 911 if anyone is hurt. If possible, move your vehicle to a safe place away from traffic.

Documenting the scene

After the dust has settled, you’ll need to document the accident however you can. This will include taking pictures or noting any road conditions and signing that may have contributed to the wreck. You should also exchange information with the other driver involved as well as any witnesses at the scene. This will typically include the following:

Name, address, and contact information

Driver’s License number

License plate number and state

Car insurance information

Filing a report

Then what? In Wyoming, drivers involved in an accident are required to notify the nearest law enforcement agency if the accident resulted in injury, death, or property damage of over $1,000. You’re also required to render reasonable assistance to anyone who is hurt, even if they aren’t in your vehicle.

If law enforcement attends the scene, they should file a report of the accident. Make sure to get the names and badge numbers of responding officers.

It’s also a good idea for law enforcement to investigate the scene, even if the other driver thinks it’s unnecessary. This will ensure you have documentation if you or the other party end up with more damage or injuries than was reported initially. Having an official record can also shield you from being unfairly sued.

When everything at the scene is taken care of, you’ll need to report it to your car insurance company as soon as possible. Many providers require you to report accident claims ASAP, so it’s good to be familiar with your specific insurer’s protocol if you’re in an accident.

MORE:

How long do you have to file a claim?

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Financial responsibility and coverage minimums: Wyoming’s insurance laws

The majority of states require motorists to have a specific amount of minimum insurance to stay within the law. So what are

Wyoming’s minimum requirements

and what happens if you don’t meet them?

The law in Wyoming requires every driver to carry an insurance policy with at least 25/50/20 liability coverage, or:

$25,000 of

bodily injury liability

coverage per person

$50,000 of

bodily injury liability

coverage per accident

$20,000 in

property damage liability

per accident

If you’re caught driving without proof of insurance in Wyoming, you’ll face a minimum fine of $250 for your first offense—and you could also have to file an

SR-22 form

for three years or even spend up to six months in prison. Subsequent offenses come with even heftier penalties.

Thankfully, Wyoming is one of the states with the lowest number of uninsured drivers at just 5.8%, according to a 2019 study by the

Insurance Information Institute (III)

. Even so, the state doesn’t require

uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

, but it’s always a good idea to have in case you’re ever in an accident with a driver without insurance.

MORE:

How to replace a lost Wyoming driver’s license

Claiming damages after an accident: Wyoming’s personal injury laws

In some cases, you may feel the need to do more than simply file an insurance claim after an accident. You may decide to file a personal injury lawsuit and collect damages. According to Wyoming’s personal injury laws, parties can typically recover damages from two categories:

Economic damages: medical bills, lost wages, lost employment or business opportunities, loss of use of property, and burial expenses

Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, mental suffering, inconvenience, and humiliation

Wyoming’s statute of limitations on car accident lawsuits and personal injury claims is four years from the date of the accident or injury. This time is reduced to only one year if the party responsible for your injuries was a government agent or entity.

Damage caps

In many states, there is a limit to the amount of damages someone can collect. However, Wyoming’s Constitution prohibits any limits on damages. However, the amount of damages you’re able to collect can be limited by the state’s comparative negligence law.

MORE:

Wyoming reckless driving

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Who’s to blame: Wyoming’s modified comparative negligence law

After a car accident happens, one of the biggest questions to answer is who’s at fault. If Thomas hits Marie’s car while he’s speeding, but Marie was texting while driving, who gets the blame? And who collects the damages?

Wyoming follows a partial/modified comparative negligence, meaning each driver collects damages according to their percent of fault in an accident—as long as their level of fault is not more than 50%. If your level of fault exceeds 50%, you’ll have to pay damages but won’t be able to collect any.

Using the previous example, Thomas and Marie both broke traffic laws, so neither will be 100% at fault. If Marie is found to be 40% at fault and Thomas is 60% at fault, Marie won’t be responsible for paying any damages—and Thomas won’t get to collect any damages since he was more than 51% at fault.

MORE:

What happens if you’re deemed at fault in an accident without car insurance?

How to save money on car insurance in Wyoming

Being found at fault for a car accident could

raise your insurance premium

by an average of 31% in Wyoming—but you aren’t out of luck just yet. When you use Jerry—the #1 rated insurance app—you can always find the lowest possible rate.

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