§ 11-47. Traffic accidents.

(a)

Duty to stop upon collision with attended vehicle. The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as possible but shall forthwith return to and in every event remain at the scene of such accident until he has given his name, address and registration number of the vehicle he is driving and shall upon request if available exhibit his driver's license to the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle collided with.

(b)

Duty to notify owner upon collision with unattended vehicle. The driver of any vehicle which collides with and damages any vehicle which is unattended shall immediately stop and shall then and there either locate and notify the operator or owner of such vehicle of the name and address of the driver and owner of the vehicle striking the unattended vehicle or shall leave in a conspicuous place in, or securely attached to and plainly visible, the vehicle struck a written notice giving the name and address of the driver and of the owner of the vehicle doing the striking and a statement of the circumstances thereof.

(c)

Duty upon striking fixtures on public thoroughfare. The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damages to fixtures legally upon or adjacent to a street, roadway or highway shall take reasonable steps to locate and notify the owner or person in charge of such property of such fact, and of his name and address, and of the registration number of the vehicle he is driving, and shall upon request and if available exhibit his driver's license and shall make report of such accident when and as required in subsection (d) hereafter.

(d)

Accident report by driver of involved vehicle.

(1)

The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident occurring within the city resulting in injury to or death of any person or property damage to an apparent extent of $25.00 or more shall immediately, by the quickest means of communication, either verbal or written, give notice of such accident to the police department.

(2)

The police department, acting by any officer of the traffic division or the chief of police, may require any driver of a vehicle involved in an accident of which report must be made as provided in this section to make supplemental oral or written report whenever the original report is found to be insufficient or inadequate in the opinion of such officer and may require witnesses of accidents to render reports to said department.

(e)

Accident report by investigating officer. Every law enforcement officer, other than members of the city police department and state department of public safety, who in the regular course of duty investigates a motor vehicle accident of which a report must be made, either at the time of and at the scene of the accident or thereafter by interviewing participants or witnesses shall, within 24 hours after completing such investigation, forward a written report of such accident to the police department. Every such accident report shall be made on the appropriate form provided by the police department and shall contain all of the information required therein unless not available. Such reports shall be without prejudice to the officer so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the police department.

(f)

When driver unable to report accident. When the driver or operator of a vehicle is unable physically to make the required accident report, if there were other occupants of the vehicle at the time of the accident capable of making the report, such occupant or occupants shall make or cause to be made said report.

(g)

Removing vehicle from scene of accident prohibited. It shall be unlawful for the driver or any other person to remove any vehicle involved in an accident from the scene of the accident until authorized to do so by a police officer of the police department of this city; provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply if there exists or arises a duty on the part of such driver or other person in control of such vehicle to use said vehicle in carrying any person injured in said accident to a physician or surgeon for medical or surgical treatment.

(h)

Moving, removal of wrecked vehicles by wrecker trucks. It shall be unlawful for the driver, or any person in charge of any vehicle equipped with a crane, hoist, winch, or towing device, who has answered a call to, or is attending the scene of, any collision or accident of one or more vehicles on any highway in the city, to remove, or attempt to remove, any vehicle involved in such collision or accident, or in any way to interfere with or change the position of any such vehicle, except upon authority or direction and in the presence of a police officer of the city, unless such change is made or attempted for the purpose of releasing a person or persons imprisoned within or under such vehicle involved in such collision or accident; provided, further, that it shall be unlawful for the driver, or person in charge of any such vehicle equipped with a crane, hoist, winch, or towing device to remove any vehicle from the scene of accident or collision without the consent of the owner of the vehicle so removed, unless directed by a police officer to remove such vehicle as a public safety measure or for the protection of private property.

(Code 1968, §§ 24-138—24-145)