§ 42-4-1606 — Duty to report accidents

Colorado § 42-4-1606

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 42: Vehicles and
• Art.: Regulation of Vehicles and Traffic

Text

(1) The driver of a vehicle involved in a
traffic accident resulting in injury to, serious bodily injury to, or death of any person
or any property damage shall, after fulfilling the requirements of sections 42-4-1602 and 42-4-1603 (1), give immediate notice of the location of such accident and
such other information as is specified in section 42-4-1603 (2) to the nearest office
of the duly authorized police authority and, if so directed by the police authority,
shall immediately return to and remain at the scene of the accident until said police
have arrived at the scene and completed their investigation thereat.

(2) Repealed.

(3) The department may require any driver of a vehicle involved in an
accident of which report must be made as provided in this section to file
supplemental reports whenever the original report is insufficient in the opinion of
the department and may require witnesses of accidents to render reports to the
department.

(4) (a) (I) It is the duty of all law enforcement officers who receive
notification of traffic accidents within their respective jurisdictions or who
investigate such accidents either at the time of or at the scene of the accident or
thereafter by interviewing participants or witnesses to submit reports of all such
accidents to the department on the form provided, including insurance information
received from any driver, within five days of the time they receive such information
or complete their investigation. The law enforcement officer shall indicate in such
report whether the inflatable restraint system in the vehicle, if any, inflated and
deployed in the accident. For the purposes of this section, inflatable restraint
system has the same meaning as set forth in 49 CFR sec. 507.208 S4.1.5.1 (b).

(II) Repealed.

(b) The law enforcement officer shall not be required to complete an
investigation or file an accident report:

(I) In the case of a traffic accident involving a motor vehicle, if the law
enforcement officer has a reasonable basis to believe that damage to the property
of any one person does not exceed one thousand dollars and if the traffic accident
does not involve injury to or death of any person; except that the officer shall
complete an investigation and file a report if specifically requested to do so by one
of the participants or if one of the participants cannot show proof of insurance; or

(II) In the case of a traffic accident not involving a motor vehicle, if the traffic
accident does not involve serious bodily injury to or death of any person.

(5) The person in charge at any garage or repair shop to which is brought any
motor vehicle which shows evidence of having been struck by any bullet shall
report to the nearest office of the duly authorized police authority within twenty-four hours after such motor vehicle is received, giving the vehicle identification
number, registration number, and, if known, the name and address of the owner and
operator of such vehicle together with any other discernible information.

(6) Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class 2
misdemeanor traffic offense.

Legislative History

Source: L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2401, � 1, effective January 1, 1995. L. 96: (2) and (4) amended, p. 1208, � 3, effective July 1. L. 97: (4)(a)(I) amended, p. 798, � 6, effective August 6. L. 2004: (2) and (4)(a)(II) repealed, p. 463, � 2, effective August 4.