Pennsylvania is like the majority of states where your driving history is concerned. It will maintain a record of this history with the DOT (PennDOT). This will include your records for all moving violations that you have received (for anything from speeding to running a red light). More importantly, it means that they keep a record of any accident in which you have become involved. The good news is that such a record is only a matter of procedure in Pennsylvania as it will not typically include any notation of which party was at fault. The record will also have a note regarding whether you were ticketed for the accident. It could also detail if another individual received a ticket in the incident.
Pennsylvania Is A No-Fault Insurance State
Determinations of fault are not typically made by the state in Pennsylvania. This could change if you were to go to court with the other driver. Your insurance company may also make an at-fault determination. The state of Pennsylvania remains a no-fault insurance state. This means that there is not a requirement of determining who was at fault for lesser injuries and damages.
Injuries and property damage over a certain level will have to be paid from the insurance of the at-fault driver though. Because of this, the fault of the accident becomes significant in the majority of serious accident cases. In these scenarios, the court or one of the two insurance companies will determine definitively who was responsible for the accident. In either case, it will not go on your DOT record in Pennsylvania.
Fault Can Be Shared in Pennsylvania
There are cases where the at-fault status is shared. This is because the causes of car accidents are not always simple or obvious. Victims can also be a part of the cause. For example, the car accident victim might have been speeding as the other driver caused the crash. This would seem clear that the other drive bore responsibility. Yet the court could determine that some of the blame lay with the speeding victim too. Such a partial fault would not necessarily be noted on any type of records. It does change the amount of compensation required from the at-fault driver.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will only record that an accident occurred. This will be the record regardless of who bore responsibility for the wreck. Insurance company records can be different though.
Could My Insurance Premiums Rise If I Was Involved In An Accident?
There are two cases where insurance premiums will likely rise if you are involved in an accident. If either the insurance firm or the court of law determines that you were at-fault in the accident, then your rates for insurance will probably increase. There are insurance companies that have a first accident excuse policy, and you should check your own policy’s rules to investigate this. In cases where you are the victim in an accident, your rates will most likely not go up. When the other driver was at fault, it is not reasonable for your own insurance to find you responsible and assess you with greater premiums.
Accidents will go on your record in the state of Pennsylvania. The good news is that the PennDOT record will not show who was at fault. Similarly, it will not provide you with proof that you were not at fault. Insurance companies will almost definitely maintain a record associated with an accident, whether you were at fault or innocent in the circumstances surrounding the wreck. Insurance companies keep records of final accident case outcomes once they receive a report of an accident from a policyholder.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
If you have been in a car accident that was not your fault and have sustained any type of property damage or injury, you should strongly consider contacting an attorney like The Pearce Law Firm, Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers, P.C.. If you have to file a claim, neither your insurance company nor the insurance company of the other party will be looking out for the best settlement. Instead, they will be looking for best way to save money, and that often results in accepting a smaller claim outside of court. We will look out for your best interests and help you fight for the settlement that you deserve.