Alabama § 33-5-25 - Collisions, Accidents, and Casualties.

§ 33-5-25. Collisions, Accidents, and Casualties.

(a) The operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, incident, or other casualty, so far as he or she can do so without serious danger to his or her own vessel, crew, and passengers, if any, shall render to other persons affected by the collision, accident, incident, or other casualty assistance as may be practicable and as may be necessary in order to save them from or minimize any danger caused by the collision, accident, incident, or other casualty. In addition, the operator of the vessel shall give his or her name, address, and identification of his or her vessel in writing to any person injured and to the owner of any property damaged in the collision, accident, incident, or other casualty.

(b) When a collision, accident, incident, or other casualty involving a vessel results in the death or injury of a person or damage to property in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000), within 24 hours, the operator of the vessel shall file with ALEA a full description of the collision, accident, incident, or other casualty, including any information required by the secretary by rule.

(c)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all accident reports required by this section made by persons involved in accidents shall be without prejudice to the individuals filing the required reports and shall be for the confidential use of ALEA or other governmental agencies having use of the record.

(2) The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency may disclose the identity of a person involved in an accident when the identity is not otherwise known or when the person denies his or her presence at the accident.

(3) No report shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the demand of any person who has made, or claims to have made, a report, or upon demand of any court, ALEA shall furnish a certificate showing that a specified accident report has or has not been made to ALEA solely to prove a compliance or a failure to comply with the requirements that a report be made to ALEA.