Tennessee Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do

Tennessee classifies leaving the scene of an accident as a crime under Tenn. Code Ann. 55-10-101 and 55-10-102. Penalties range from a Class B misdemeanor for minor property damage to a Class E felony when a driver flees a fatal crash.

Hurt in a hit-and-run? If the driver who hit you fled or had no insurance, your own uninsured/underinsured-motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may pay your injury claim. Estimate what it could be worth with our free Tennessee Car Accident Settlement Calculator.

Quick Summary of Tennessee Hit and Run Laws

Last verified: March 2026. This guide reflects current Tennessee Code Title 55, Chapter 10, and Title 39, Chapter 13.

Tennessee law treats leaving the scene of an accident as a serious offense. The penalties depend on whether the accident caused property damage only, personal injury, or death. Tennessee Code Annotated sections 55-10-101 through 55-10-104 spell out every driver's legal obligations after a collision.

An accident by itself is not a crime in Tennessee. The crime is failing to stop, failing to provide your information, or failing to render aid to an injured person.

Primary Statutes:

• TCA 55-10-101: Accidents involving death or personal injury
• TCA 55-10-102: Accidents involving damage to property
• TCA 55-10-103: Duty to give information and render aid
• TCA 55-10-104: Duty upon striking unattended vehicle

Penalties for Property Damage Hit and Run (TCA 55-10-102)

Tennessee classifies property-damage-only hit and run offenses based on the dollar amount of damage.

Property Damage at or Below $1,500

If the damage to another person's vehicle or property does not exceed $1,500, or would not appear to a reasonable person to exceed $1,500, leaving the scene is a Class B misdemeanor.

• Jail time: Up to 6 months
• Fine: Up to $500
• License: Subject to suspension or revocation for up to 1 year

Property Damage Above $1,500

When the damage exceeds $1,500, or would appear to a reasonable person to exceed that amount, the charge escalates to a Class A misdemeanor.

• Jail time: Up to 11 months and 29 days
• Fine: Up to $2,500
• License: Suspension or revocation for up to 1 year or more

After any misdemeanor hit and run conviction, you must pay a $25 restoration fee to the Commissioner of Safety before your driving privileges can be reinstated.

Penalties for Injury or Death Hit and Run (TCA 55-10-101)

Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident

Under TCA 55-10-101(a), any driver involved in an accident that results in injury to another person must stop immediately, provide information, and render aid. Failure to do so is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 11 months and 29 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

This applies regardless of how severe the injury is. Even a minor injury triggers the same obligation to stop and comply.

Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Accident

When the driver knew, or should reasonably have known, that the accident resulted in death, the charge becomes a Class E felony.

• Prison time: 1 to 6 years
• Fine: Up to $3,000
• License: Suspension or revocation

Consecutive Sentencing Rule

Under TCA 55-10-101(b), if you face charges for both leaving the scene and vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, or aggravated vehicular homicide, the sentences must run consecutively, not concurrently. This means you serve the full sentence for each charge one after the other.

DUI-Related Hit and Run Offenses

Driving under the influence adds significant penalties on top of leaving the scene charges.

Vehicular Assault (TCA 39-13-106)

If you cause serious bodily injury while driving under the influence or driving recklessly, you face a Class D felony.

• Prison time: 2 to 12 years
• Fine: Up to $5,000
• Mandatory minimums: First offense requires 48 hours. Prior DUI convictions increase the mandatory minimum to 45 days, and multiple prior convictions raise it to 150 days.

Vehicular Homicide (TCA 39-13-213)

If impaired or reckless driving causes death, the charge is a Class C felony.

• Prison time: 3 to 15 years
• Fine: Up to $10,000

Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (TCA 39-13-218)

Enhanced charges apply when the crash involves multiple deaths, extreme intoxication (BAC of 0.20 or higher), or prior DUI convictions. This is a Class A felony.

• Prison time: 15 to 60 years
• Fine: Up to $50,000

Driver Duties After an Accident in Tennessee (TCA 55-10-103)

Under Tennessee Code 55-10-103, every driver involved in an accident must take the following steps.

Stop immediately. Pull over at the scene or as close to the scene as possible, then return to it.

Provide your information. Give the other driver your name, address, and vehicle registration number.

Show your license. If the other party asks, show your driver's license.

Render aid. Provide reasonable assistance to anyone who is injured. This may include arranging transportation to a hospital if necessary.

Remain at the scene. Stay until law enforcement arrives and you have fulfilled all of your statutory obligations.

Do not block traffic more than necessary while at the scene.

What Accidents Must Be Reported?

Under TCA 55-12-104, you must report any accident in writing to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security within 20 days if it involves:

• Death of any person
• Injury to any person
• Property damage exceeding $1,500
• Damage to state or local government property exceeding $400

Failing to file this report is a Class C misdemeanor under TCA 55-10-111, carrying up to 30 days in jail and a $50 fine.

Hitting an Unattended Vehicle (TCA 55-10-104)

If you strike an unattended vehicle in a public space, you must make a reasonable effort to find the owner. If you cannot locate the owner, leave a written note in a visible place on the vehicle with your name, address, and contact information.

These requirements apply to public spaces. They do not apply to accidents on private property.

Insurance Implications of a Hit and Run in Tennessee

Tennessee requires all drivers to carry liability insurance. When a hit and run driver flees the scene, your ability to recover compensation depends on your own insurance coverage.

Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage (TCA 56-7-1201)

Every auto insurance policy issued in Tennessee must include uninsured motorist coverage unless the policyholder rejects it in writing. UM coverage can apply when the at-fault driver is uninsured or unidentified, which is common in hit and run cases.

For hit and run accidents where the other driver is unknown, you must file a John Doe warrant against the unidentified driver to trigger UM coverage. This is a specific legal requirement under TCA 56-7-1201(e).

Filing an Insurance Claim

After a hit and run, take these steps to protect your claim:

• File a police report as soon as possible
• Document the scene with photos and witness contact information
• Notify your insurance company promptly
• Keep records of all medical treatment and property damage

Tennessee follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you are found 50% or more at fault for the accident, you cannot recover damages. If your fault is below 50%, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Statute of Limitations for Tennessee Hit and Run

Criminal Charges

The state has a limited window to bring criminal charges:

• Misdemeanor offenses: Prosecutors generally have 1 year from the date of the offense to file charges (TCA 40-2-102)
• Felony offenses: The statute of limitations varies. For most felonies, it is 4 years from the date of the offense. There is no time limit for vehicular homicide charges classified as a Class A or Class B felony.

Civil Claims

If you are the victim of a hit and run and want to file a lawsuit for damages:

• Personal injury: 1 year from the date of the accident
• Property damage: 3 years from the date of the accident
• Wrongful death: 1 year from the date of death

Tennessee has one of the shortest personal injury statutes of limitations in the country. Missing this deadline almost always bars your claim permanently.

Tennessee Crash Statistics

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the TRIP national transportation research group:

• Tennessee recorded 1,194 traffic fatalities in 2024 and 1,045 in 2025, a 14% reduction year over year
• From 2014 to 2024, traffic fatalities in Tennessee increased 25%
• From 2021 to 2024, fatalities decreased 9% and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled dropped 12%
• Fatal and serious traffic crashes in Tennessee in 2024 caused an estimated $52.7 billion in societal harm
• Shelby County recorded the highest rate with 748 serious or fatal accident cases in 2024

Nashville has faced particular challenges with hit and run enforcement. Officials have noted the difficulty in solving these cases when witnesses and evidence are limited.

Pending Legislation: Proposed Penalty Increases (2025-2026)

The Tennessee General Assembly is considering several bills during the 2025-2026 session that would significantly increase hit and run penalties.

SB1736 and its companion HB1521 would make two key changes:

• Injury accidents: Increase the penalty for leaving the scene from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony (1 to 6 years in prison)
• Fatal accidents: Increase the penalty from a Class E felony to a Class D felony (2 to 12 years in prison)

As of March 2026, HB1521 was placed on the Criminal Justice Subcommittee calendar. These bills have not yet been enacted into law.

Notable Tennessee Hit and Run Cases

Chazan Page Case (April 2025)

Chazan Page, a 20-year-old Tennessee State University football player, was killed by a hit and run driver on Gallatin Pike in Nashville. Page had pushed his girlfriend out of the path of a speeding car before being struck himself. The case drew statewide attention to the human cost of hit and run crashes.

Ulises Raigoza-Martinez Manhunt (2024)

Multiple agencies conducted a manhunt in Hamilton County for Ulises Raigoza-Martinez, wanted in connection with a fatal crash in Nashville. Federal immigration charges were added to the case after ICE confirmed the suspect was in the country illegally.

I-24 Multi-Vehicle Fatal Crash (2024)

Nashville Police investigated a four-vehicle crash on I-24 East at approximately 3:20 a.m. that killed one person. The driver of a 2001 red Lincoln Navigator fled the scene, prompting a sustained investigation.

More Tennessee Laws

• Tennessee Car Accident Laws
• Tennessee Statute of Limitations