Action in case of accident.
(a) The driver of any vehicle, knowingly involved in an accident resulting in injury or death
to any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close thereto
as possible but shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene until
he has fulfilled the requirements of subsection (c) of this section. Every such stop shall be
made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. Any person who shall violate this
subsection shall be fined not less than $2,500 nor more than $5,000, or be imprisoned for a
period of 180 days, or both. The term of imprisonment required by this subsection shall be
imposed only if the accident resulted in death or injury to a person other than the driver
convicted of violating this section.
In addition, any person convicted under this subsection shall forfeit his right to operate a
motor vehicle over the highways of this State for a period of one year from the date of his
conviction for the first offense and for a subsequent offense shall thereafter permanently
forfeit his right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State.
(b)The driver of any vehicle knowingly involved in an accident resulting only in
damage to a vehicle, including his own vehicle, or other property which is attended by any
person shall immediately stop his vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as
possible, but shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of such
accident until he has fulfilled the requirements of subsection (c) of this section. Every such
stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. Any person who shall
violate this subsection shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $400, or be imprisoned
for a period of not more than 30 days, or both, for the first offense, and for a subsequent
offense, shall be fined not less than $400 nor more than $600, or be imprisoned for a period of
not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days or both.
In addition, a person who violates this subsection shall, for a first offense, forfeit the right
to operate a motor vehicle in this State for a period of six months from the date of conviction,
and for a period of one year from the date of conviction for any subsequent offense.
(c)The driver of any vehicle knowingly involved in an accident resulting in injury or
death to any person or damage to any vehicle or property shall give his name and address and
exhibit his operators license and registration certificate of his vehicle to the person injured or
whose vehicle or property was damaged and to any police officer or witness of the accident,
and to the driver or occupants of the vehicle collided with and render to a person injured in the
accident reasonable assistance, including the carrying of that person to a hospital or a
physician for medical or surgical treatment, if it is apparent that the treatment is necessary or
is requested by the injured person.
In the event that none of the persons specified are in condition to receive the information
to which they otherwise would be entitled under this subsection, and no police officer is
present, the driver of any vehicle involved in such accident after fulfilling all other
requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, insofar as possible on his part to be
performed, shall forthwith report such accident to the nearest office of the local police
department or of the county police of the county or of the State Police and submit thereto the
information specified in this subsection.
(d)The driver of any vehicle which knowingly collides with or is knowingly involved
in an accident with any vehicle or other property which is unattended resulting in any damage
to such vehicle or other property shall immediately stop and shall then and there locate and
notify the operator or owner of such vehicle or other property of the name and address of the
driver and owner of the vehicle striking the unattended vehicle or other property or, in the
event an unattended vehicle is struck and the driver or owner thereof cannot be immediately
located, shall attach securely in a conspicuous place in or on such vehicle a written notice
giving the name and address of the driver and owner of the vehicle doing the striking or, in the
event other property is struck and the owner thereof cannot be immediately located, shall
notify the nearest office of the local police department or of the county police of the county or
of the State Police and in addition shall notify the owner of the property as soon as the owner
can be identified and located. Any person who violates this subsection shall be punished as
provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(e)There shall be a permissive inference that the driver of any motor vehicle
involved in an accident resulting in injury or death to any person or damage in the amount of
$250.00 or more to any vehicle or property has knowledge that he was involved in such
accident.
For purposes of this section, it shall not be a defense that the operator of the motor
vehicle was unaware of the existence or extent of personal injury or property damage caused
by the accident as long as the operator was aware that he was involved in an accident.
There shall be a permissive inference that the registered owner of the vehicle which was
involved in an accident subject to the provisions of this section was the person involved in the
accident; provided, however, if that vehicle is owned by a rental car company or is a leased
vehicle, there shall be a permissive inference that the renter or authorized driver pursuant to a
rental car contract or the lessee, and not the owner of the vehicle, was involved in the
accident, and the requirements and penalties imposed pursuant to this section shall be
applicable to that renter or authorized driver or lessee and not the owner of the vehicle.
Any person who suppresses, by way of concealment or destruction, any evidence of a
violation of this section or who suppresses the identity of the violator shall be subject to a fine
of not less than $250 or more than $1,000.
Amended 1940, c.147; 1967, c.189, s.1; 1977, c.407; 1978, c.180; 1979, c.463, s.1; 1994,
c.183, s.1; 2003, c.55, s.1; 2007, c.266, s.1.