Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Boating Accidents & Casualties—What the Law Requires
You to Do
If you are operating a vessel and know (or reasonably should have
known) that you have been involved in an accident involving death,
personal injury, or damages to property, then you must:
- Immediately stop at the scene of the accident and
...
- Render any assistance that you are capable of giving to the
occupants of the other vessel involved in the accident and
...
- Give your name and address, the vessel registration number,
and the name and address of each occupant to the operator or
owner of any other vessel, any injured person, and the owner
of any damaged property.
If you are not able to give the above information due to a person’s
injury, location, inability to comprehend, or any other cause,
this information must be given to a Marine Patrol officer or other
police officer with jurisdiction arriving at the scene of the accident
or immediately to an officer at the nearest police station or at
Marine Patrol headquarters.
Any person operating a vessel that is involved in an accident
must submit a written accident report to the Division of Safety
Services within 15 days after the accident. This is required when
anyone is injured or killed or if damage to property
exceeds $2,000. If the operator is physically or mentally incapable
of making the accident report, it is the responsibility of the
owner to prepare the report.
You must follow the above requirements if you are involved in
a boating accident.
- It is a Class A misdemeanor to fail to file the accident report
or to fail to comply with the requirements that apply when an
accident results in property damage.
- It is a Class B felony to give false information about an
accident or to fail to comply with the requirements that apply
when an accident results in death or personal injury.
Accident report forms are available from the New Hampshire Department
of Safety. Download
a copy of the New Hampshire Boating Accident Report.
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