An analysis is presented of the stresses induced in a composite plate by impact loadings. The plate is represented by a refined theory which includes the effect of transverse shear, normal, and quadratic effects in the kinematic assumptions, and correctly predicts the dispersive effects of axial waves in composite plates. The method of characteristics is used to investigate the effect of longitudinal impact in a semi-infinite plate as predicted by the refined model. Results obtained by the refined theory are compared with corresponding results given by a less accurate six-mode theory and shown to be significantly different under certain impact loadings.