This is an idle question that just occurred to me. I was in a traffic accident a while ago, settled with the insurance companies, and I am pretty sure that the statute of limitations has run on filing a lawsuit in any case. But, if the other party wanted to file, I have moved out of state since the time of the accident. Now, the new state made me surrender my old driver's licence when I got the new one, but do they tell the old state that person X with driver's licence Y now lives at 123 Main Street, New Town, New State, or would the person looking for me in the old state just run into a brick wall when I didn't respond to the summons?

One state doesn't contact another state to tell them that you now live with them. But if you are suspended in one state, other states will honor that suspension. If your driving privileges are revoked, there is no statute of limitations on that. And that, too, is often reciprocal.

I live in Florida, but I had been issued a ticket in NY (in '94) while I was still living in NH. I had totally forgotten about it until Homeland Security made it easier for states to crosscheck driver licenses. That took over ten years to show up in Fla, but it did eventually catch up with me and I couldn't obtain a duplicate here until it was resolved there. In both NY and NH. It cost me a lot of money because I didn't inform NH of my change of address. Now, I don't know what effect this could have on your situation, but if you and the other party settled with the insurance, there's likely not going to be any lawsuit, anyway.

States won't arbitrarily volunteer your information. They need a request of some sort.

If you don't show up to court for civil cases the trial can still go on and the judge can award a judgement. That will effect your credit and it's probably best to try to settle or pay. Find out if you have any judgements on your credit report with any of the free credit report organizations.

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Originally Posted by froggy7

This is an idle question that just occurred to me. I was in a traffic accident a while ago, settled with the insurance companies, and I am pretty sure that the statute of limitations has run on filing a lawsuit in any case. But, if the other party wanted to file, I have moved out of state since the time of the accident. Now, the new state made me surrender my old driver's licence when I got the new one, but do they tell the old state that person X with driver's licence Y now lives at 123 Main Street, New Town, New State, or would the person looking for me in the old state just run into a brick wall when I didn't respond to the summons?

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The Attorney representing the other party would locate you - Motor Vehicle doesn't have to pass the info on. I'm confused about your "failure to respond" to the Summons question. I don't understand your "failure to respond to the Summons" question. Are you thinking it would be served at your old address and not forwarded to you or forwarded to you and you would ignore it?

Well, the other party was at fault (made a left turn in front of me, when they could not see on-coming traffic), and the insurance companies seems to be happy, so I'm not really worried about anything. But I was just wondering what happens when you try to track someone by their driver's license if they have moved, and why states take your old driver's license if it doesn't matter. More the second part. I can see taking the old license if they wanted the number for a database somewhere, but otherwise it doesn't make much sense to me.

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Originally Posted by froggy7

Well, the other party was at fault (made a left turn in front of me, when they could not see on-coming traffic), and the insurance companies seems to be happy, so I'm not really worried about anything. But I was just wondering what happens when you try to track someone by their driver's license if they have moved, and why states take your old driver's license if it doesn't matter. More the second part. I can see taking the old license if they wanted the number for a database somewhere, but otherwise it doesn't make much sense to me.

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I've never tried to track using a driver's license so I don't know. Anyone interested enough to be able to tap into the State MV records has other sources. Also, a Driver's License address is not the most efficient way to locate someone - usually a Registration is renewed more frequently and, thus, more accurate. People move and don't change their Driver's License until renewal time.

I know some States take your driver's license so that you are only licensed in one State and the address is current. I know NYS is thinking about changing the way it handles Drivers Licenses. At the moment if you marry you change your name on your License but don't necessarily turn in the License with your maiden name and end up with two Licenses.

If the other party was not injured and it was just a fender bender they should not serve you with any lawsuit if the insurance companies settled it.