_______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE
SENATE BILL 5539
_______________________________________________
AS
AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed
Legislature - 1997 Regular Session
State
of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By
Read
first time 02/27/97.
Changing accident report requirements.
AN
ACT Relating to accident reports; amending RCW 46.52.030; and declaring an
emergency.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
46.52.030 and 1996 c 183 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
Unless a report is to be made by a law enforcement officer under subsection
(3) of this section, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident
resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to the property of any
one person to an apparent extent equal to or greater than the minimum amount
established by rule adopted by the chief of the Washington state patrol in
accordance with subsection (5) of this section, shall, within ((twenty-four
hours)) four days after such accident, make a written report of such
accident to the chief of police of the city or town if such accident occurred
within an incorporated city or town or the county sheriff or state patrol if
such accident occurred outside incorporated cities and towns. Nothing in this
subsection prohibits accident reports from being filed by drivers where damage
to property is less than the minimum amount or where a law enforcement
officer has submitted a report.
(2)
The original of the report shall be immediately forwarded by the authority
receiving the report to the chief of the Washington state patrol at Olympia,
Washington. The Washington state patrol shall give the department of licensing
full access to the report.
(3)
Any law enforcement officer who investigates an accident for which a ((driver's))
report is required under subsection (1) of this section shall submit an
investigator's report as required by RCW 46.52.070.
(4)
The chief of the Washington state patrol may require any driver of any vehicle
involved in an accident, of which report must be made as provided in this
section, to file supplemental reports whenever the original report in ((his))
the chief's opinion is insufficient, and may likewise require witnesses
of any such accident to render reports. For this purpose, the chief of the
Washington state patrol shall prepare and, upon request, supply to any police
department, coroner, sheriff, and any other suitable agency or individual,
sample forms of accident reports required hereunder, which reports shall be
upon a form devised by the chief of the Washington state patrol and shall call
for sufficiently detailed information to disclose all material facts with
reference to the accident to be reported thereon, including the location, the
((cause)) circumstances, the conditions then existing, the
persons and vehicles involved, the insurance information required under RCW
46.30.030, personal injury or death, if any, the amounts of property damage
claimed, the total number of vehicles involved, whether the vehicles were
legally parked, legally standing, or moving, and whether such vehicles were
occupied at the time of the accident. Every required accident report shall be
made on a form prescribed by the chief of the Washington state patrol and each
authority charged with the duty of receiving such reports shall provide
sufficient report forms in compliance with the form devised. The report forms
shall be designated so as to provide that a copy may be retained by the
reporting person.
(5)
The chief of the Washington state patrol shall adopt rules establishing the
accident-reporting threshold for property damage accidents. Beginning October
1, 1987, the accident-reporting threshold for property damage accidents shall
be five hundred dollars. The accident-reporting threshold for property damage
accidents shall be revised when necessary, but not more frequently than every
two years. The revisions shall only be for the purpose of recognizing economic
changes as reflected by an inflationary index recommended by the office of
financial management. The revisions shall be guided by the change in the index
for the time period since the last revision.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. This
act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or
safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and takes effect immediately.
Passed the Senate April 21, 1997.
Passed the House April 8, 1997.
Approved by the Governor May
2, 1997.
Filed
in Office of Secretary of State May 2, 1997.
