How Use Cars Laws

Although law enforcement officers in many locations may not respond to accidents unless there are injuries, drivers should file a state vehicle accident report, which is available at police stations and often on the Department of Motor Vehicles Web site as a downloadable file. A police report often helps insurance companies speed up the claims process.

As is always the case when buying a car, the only way to fully protect yourself is to come armed with information. Many consumer advocacy sites, such as The Center for Auto Safety, discuss new car lemon laws in detail, but obtaining information on used-car laws is trickier. We found Car Lemon (an attorney referral site) and Autopedia's Lemon Law Information Page to have the broadest information on states' used-vehicle lemon laws.