Section 33-5-25

Collisions, accidents and casualties.

(a) It shall be the duty of the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident or other casualty, so far as he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, crew and passengers (if any), to render to other persons affected by the collision, accident or other casualty such assistance as may be practicable and as may be necessary in order to save them from or minimize any danger caused by the collision, accident or other casualty, and also to give his name, address and identification of his vessel in writing to any person injured and to the owner of any property damaged in the collision, accident or other casualty.

(b) In the case of collision, accident or other casualty involving a vessel, the operator thereof, if the collision, accident or other casualty results in death or injury to a person or damage to property in excess of $50.00, shall within 10 days file with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources a full description of the collision, accident or other casualty, including such information as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources by regulation may require.

(c) All accident reports required by this section made by persons involved in accidents shall be without prejudice to the individuals so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or other governmental agencies having use of the record; except, that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources may disclose the identity of a person involved in an accident when such identity is not otherwise known or when such person denies his presence at such accident. No such report shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident; except, that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall furnish upon demand of any person who has, or claims to have made such a report or, upon demand of any court, a certificate showing that a specified accident report has or has not been made to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources solely to prove a compliance or a failure to comply with the requirements that such a report be made to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

(Acts 1959, No. 576, p. 1442, §22.)