Sec. 18-149. Duty of driver to stop, etc., in event of accident;
duty of occupant; reports additional to other
accident reports required by this article.[288]
(a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident in
which an attended vehicle or other attended property is damaged
shall immediately stop as close to the scene of the accident
as possible without obstructing traffic and report to a
police officer or to the driver or some other occupant of the
vehicle collided with or to the custodian of other damaged
property, his name, address, operator's or chauffeur's license
number and the registration number of his vehicle.
(b) If the driver fails to stop and make the report required
by subsection (a) of this section, any person in the vehicle
with the driver at the time of the accident who has knowledge
of the accident shall report within twenty-four hours from
the time of the accident to the chief of police of the city, his
name, address and such other information within his knowledge
as the driver must report pursuant to subsection (a)
of this section.
(c) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident in
which no person is killed or injured but in which an unattended
vehicle or other unattended property is damaged
shall make a reasonable effort to find the owner or custodian
of such property and shall report to the owner or custodian
the information which the driver must report pursuant to subsection
(a) of this section if such owner or custodian is found.
If the owner or custodian of such damaged vehicle or property
cannot be found, the driver shall leave a note in a conspicuous
place at the scene of the accident and shall report
the accident in writing within twenty-four hours to the chief
of police. Such note and written report shall contain the information
which the driver must report pursuant to subsection
(a) of this section and such written report shall state
in addition the date, time and place of the accident, the
driver's estimate of the property damage.
(d) If the driver fails to stop and make a reasonable search
for the owner or custodian of an unattended vehicle or property
or to leave a note for such owner or custodian as required
by subsection (c) of this section, any person in the
vehicle with the driver at the time of the accident who has
knowledge of the accident shall report within twenty-four
hours from the time of the accident to the chief of police,
his name, address and such other facts within his knowledge
as are required by subsection (c) of this section to be reported
by the driver.
(e) The reports required by this section are in addition to
other accident reports required by this chapter or by state
law[289]
and shall be made irrespective of the amount of property
damage involved.
(f) The provisions of this section shall apply irrespective
of whether such accident occurs on the public streets or on
private property. (Code 1959, § 18-149.)
