§851.10.  Collisions, crashes, and casualties; theft, reporting

A.  It shall be the duty of the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, crash, or other casualty, so far as he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, crew, and passengers, if any, to render to other persons affected by the collision, crash, or other casualty such assistance as may be practicable and as may be necessary in order to save them from or minimize any danger caused by the collision, crash, or other casualty and also to give his name, address, and identification of his vessel in writing to any person injured and to the owner of any property damaged in the collision, crash, or other casualty.

B.(1)  The operator of a vessel involved in a collision, crash, or other casualty involving a recreational vessel and resulting in death or injury to a person or property damage in excess of five hundred dollars must give notice of the incident immediately, by the most prompt means of communication, to the department, the nearest law enforcement agency, or to state police.  Law enforcement agencies shall notify the department immediately upon receiving information of a collision, crash, or other casualty involving a vessel and resulting in death or injury to a person or damages in excess of five hundred dollars.  The driver of any vessel involved in a collision, crash, or other casualty involving a recreational vessel and resulting in death or injury to a person, or property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall, within five days after the incident, forward a department-approved incident report form to the department.  A full description of the collision or other casualty must be reported and submitted on an official form supplied by the department.  In a crash where the operator is incapable of filing a report, each person on board shall bear the responsibility of notifying the department or determining that a report has been submitted.  The department shall submit to the United States Coast Guard reportable accidents consistent with the Statement of Understanding between the state of Louisiana and the United States Coast Guard.  The department shall provide copies of completed crash reports to any interested person upon request.  The department may charge a fee not to exceed five dollars  for reports that do not exceed four pages and seven dollars and fifty cents for reports that exceed four pages.  The department may also charge a reasonable fee for copies of photographs, videotapes, audiotapes, and any extraordinary-sized documents or documents stored on electronic media.

(2)  When a collision, crash, or other casualty occurs within the prohibited zone, as defined in R.S. 34:851.2(7), involving a vessel or vessel flotilla within the scope of R.S. 34:851.24(J), the report required by this Subsection shall also be made to the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission within the time period applicable to submitting such report to the department.

C.  Every owner of a registered boat shall report its theft to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries within five days of discovery of theft.  The violation of the provisions of this Subsection shall not be subject to any penalty, including the provisions of R.S. 34:851.31(C) and shall not be construed to be a crime.

Acts 1960, No. 43, §10; Acts 1983, No. 536, §1; Acts 1984, No. 288, §1; Acts 1988, No. 552, §1, eff. July 14, 1988; Acts 2006, No. 282, §1.

{{NOTE:  SEE ACTS 1988, NO. 552, §2.}}