MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Senator(s) Hale, Brown, Burton, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jordan, Norwood, Stone
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-411, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR INVESTIGATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE AND OTHER ACCIDENTS ON CERTAIN PORTIONS OF FEDERALLY DESIGNATED CONTROLLED-ACCESS INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 63-3-411, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-3-411. (1) The driver of a vehicle involved in an
accident
resulting in injury to or death of any person or total property damage to an
apparent extent of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or more shall immediately, by
the quickest means of communication, give notice of the collision to the local
police department * * * or * * * the nearest sheriff's office or highway patrol
station.
(2)
The department may require any driver of a vehicle involved in an accident * * * that
is required to be reported by this section, to file supplemental reports
whenever the original report is insufficient in the opinion of the department.
Additionally, the department may require witnesses of accidents to render reports
to the department.
(3) For all accidents required to be reported by this section, it shall be the duty of:
(a)
The highway patrol or the sheriff's office to investigate * * *
when the accident occurs outside the corporate limits of a municipality * * *; and * * *
(b)
The police department of each municipality to investigate * * *
when the * * * accident occurs within the corporate limits of the
municipality including on a portion of a federally designated controlled-access
interstate highway if there exists an agreement between the governing authority
of the municipality and the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol for the
municipality to investigate the accidents; and
(c) The highway patrol when the accident occurs within the corporate limits of the municipality on a portion of a federally designated controlled-access interstate highway if an agreement does not exist between the governing authority of the municipality and the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol for the municipality to investigate the accidents.
Every
law enforcement officer who investigates an accident as required by this
subsection, whether the investigation is made at the scene of the accident or
by subsequent investigation and interviews, shall forward within six (6) days
after completing the investigation a written report of the accident to the
department if the accident occurred outside the corporate limits of a
municipality, or to the police department of the municipality if the accident
occurred within the corporate limits of * * * the municipality. Police
departments shall forward * * *such the reports to the department within six (6) days
of the date of the accident unless the police department itself received the
report from the department.
(4)
Whenever an engineer of a railroad locomotive, or other person in charge of a
train, is required to show proof of his identity under the provisions of this
article, in connection with operation of such locomotive, to any law
enforcement officer, * * *
the person shall not be required to display his operator's or
chauffeur's license but shall display his railroad employee number.
(5) In addition to the
information required on the "statewide uniform traffic accident
report" forms provided by Section 63-3-415, the department shall require
the parties involved in an accident and the witnesses of * * * the accident to furnish their phone
numbers in order to assist the investigation by law enforcement officers.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.