Montana Code 23-2-527. Collisions, accidents, and casualties
23-2-527. Collisions, accidents, and casualties. (1) The operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty, so far as the operator can do so without serious danger to the operator’s own vessel, crew, and passengers, shall render to other persons affected by the collision, accident, or other casualty assistance that may be practicable and that may be necessary in order to save them from or minimize any danger caused by the collision, accident, or other casualty. The operator shall give the operator’s name, address, and identification of the operator’s vessel in writing to any person injured and to the owner or person in control of any property damaged in the collision, accident, or other casualty.
Terms Used In Montana Code 23-2-527
- Department: means the department of fish, wildlife, and parks of the state of Montana. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Operator: means the person who navigates, drives, or is otherwise in immediate control of a motorboat or vessel. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Owner: means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property in or title to a motorboat or vessel. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, or other entity. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Property: means real and personal property. See Montana Code 1-1-205
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Vessel: means every description of watercraft, unless otherwise defined by the department, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Writing: includes printing. See Montana Code 1-1-203
(2)The department shall prepare and distribute to each sheriff’s office and each game warden of this state a standardized accident report form. A person involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty involving a death, disappearance, personal injury, or property damage in excess of $100 shall immediately report the collision, accident, or other casualty to the sheriff’s office or game warden of the county in which the collision, accident, or casualty occurred and fill out a standardized accident report form.
(3)A sheriff advised of a collision, accident, or other casualty reported under this part shall:
(a)conduct an appropriate investigation of the collision, accident, or other casualty; and
(b)prepare and submit a report of the results of the investigation, together with the completed standardized accident report forms, to the department.