Accident Information

Accidents involving personal injury or death

1. Law enforcement officer notification. The operator of a recreational vehicle in an accident that results in personal injury or death of a person shall immediately report the accident, by the quickest means of communication, to the available law enforcement officer nearest to the place where the accident occurred.

A. The owner of a recreational vehicle who knows that the machine was involved in an accident as described in this subsection shall report the accident as provided in this subsection if the operator of the recreational vehicle is unknown.

2. Provide information to injured party. The operator or a person acting on behalf of the operator of a recreational vehicle involved in an accident shall provide to an injured person or the operator or an occupant of any other recreational vehicle involved in the accident

A. The operator’s name and address; and

B. The registration number of the operator’s recreational vehicle.

3. Render assistance. The operator of a recreational vehicle involved in an accident shall render reasonable assistance to an injured person.

4. Penalties. A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime.

5. Aggravated punishment category. Notwithstanding subsection 4, a person who intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly fails to comply with this section when the accident resulted in serious bodily injury, as defined in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 23, or death, commits a Class C crime.

Accident reports

1. Report requirements. A person shall give notice of a recreational vehicle accident within 72 hours to the commissioner on forms provided by the commissioner if the person is:

A. The operator of a recreational vehicle involved in an accident that does not result in injuries requiring the services of a physician or in the death of a person but involves property damage estimated to cost $1,000 or more;

B. A person acting for the operator of a recreational vehicle described in paragraph A; or

C. The owner of a recreational vehicle described in paragraph A having knowledge of the accident, if the operator of the recreational vehicle is unknown.

2. Penalties. The following penalties apply to violations of this section.

A. A person who violates this section commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 may be adjudged.

B. A person who violates this section after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.