ENROLLED
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 2253
(By Delegate Warner)
[Passed March 11, 1999; in effect ninety days from passage.]
AN ACT to amend and reenact sections six and seven, article four,
chapter seventeen-c of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, all relating
to revising accident reporting requirements.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That sections six and seven, article four, chapter
seventeen-c of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted, all to
read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. ACCIDENTS.
§17C-4-6. Immediate reports of accidents.
The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or total property damage to an
apparent extent of five hundred dollars or more shall immediately
by the quickest means of communication, whether oral or written,
give notice of such accident to the local police department if
such accident occurs within a municipality, otherwise to the
office of the county sheriff or the nearest office of the West
Virginia state police.
§17C-4-7. Written reports of accidents.
Every law-enforcement officer who, in the regular course of
duty, investigates a motor vehicle accident occurring on the
public highways of this state resulting in bodily injury to or
death of any person or total property damage to an apparent
extent of five hundred dollars or more shall, either at the time
of and at the scene of the accident or thereafter by interviewing
participants or witnesses, within twenty-four hours after
completing such investigation, forward a written report of such
accident to the division. The division shall prepare a form for
such accident report and, after approval of such form by the
commissioner, the superintendent of the West Virginia state
police and the commissioner of highways, shall supply copies of such form to police departments, sheriffs and other appropriate
law-enforcement agencies. Every accident report required under
the provisions of this section shall be made on such form.