Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Boating Accidents & Casualties—What the Law Requires
You to Do
An operator involved in a boating accident must:
- Stop his or her vessel immediately at the scene of the accident
and …
- Aid anyone injured or in danger from the accident, unless doing
so would seriously endanger his or her own vessel or passengers
and …
- Give, in writing, his or her name, address,
and vessel identification
to anyone injured and to the owner of any damaged property.
Vessel operators or owners whose vessel is involved in an accident,
casualty, vandalism, or theft must report the incident immediately
to the Department of Environmental Management or to a nearby
office of state or local police if the incident results in:
- Death or disappearance of a person or …
- Injury of a person or …
- Property damage or loss exceeding $2,000.
Vessel owners whose vessel is involved in an accident, casualty,
vandalism, or theft must make written reports of damages or losses
in excess of $2,000 within five days of the incident. Report
forms are available from DEM’s/Division of Law Enforcement
office and on the Internet at
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/enforce/pdfs/boatacc.pdf.
Vessel operators who cause serious bodily injury to another
person due to reckless operation will be charged with “operating
so as to endanger, resulting in personal injury” and,
if convicted, be imprisoned for up to five years.
Vessel operators who cause the death of another person due
to reckless operation will be charged with “operating so as to endanger,
resulting in death” and, if convicted, be imprisoned
for up to ten years.
Boating Accident Report Form
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