Connecticut § 14-108a - Uniform investigation of accident report. Requirements and policy for identifying and notifying person's family or household member of motor vehicle accident in which person was killed.

§ 14-108a. Uniform investigation of accident report. Requirements and policy for identifying and notifying person's family or household member of motor vehicle accident in which person was killed.

Sec. 14-108a. Uniform investigation of accident report. Requirements and policy for identifying and notifying person's family or household member of motor vehicle accident in which person was killed. (a)(1) The Commissioner of Transportation shall prescribe for the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and for each police department and officer and other suitable agencies or individuals a uniform investigation of accident report, in such form as the commissioner shall prescribe, which form shall be followed in filing all such reports.

(2) In each motor vehicle accident in which any person is killed or injured or in which damage to the property of any one individual, including the operator, in excess of one thousand dollars is sustained, the police officer, agency or individual who, in the regular course of duty, investigates such accident, either at the time of or at the scene of the accident or thereafter, by interviewing the participants or witnesses, shall, not later than five days after completing such investigation, complete and forward one copy of such report to the Commissioner of Transportation. Such report shall contain all available information relating to the location and cause of the accident, the conditions then existing, the persons and vehicles involved and the names of the insurance companies issuing their automobile liability policies, as well as the enforcement action taken, if any, and, in the case of a motor vehicle accident in which any person is killed, such report shall, if possible and practicable, reach a conclusion as to the cause of the accident. If such a conclusion cannot be reached, the investigating officer, agency or individual shall refer the case to the state's attorney for the judicial district in which the accident occurred, who may refer the case to the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for review and further investigation. The Commissioner of Transportation shall forward to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles one copy of each report of any accident involving a school bus. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may inquire into or investigate any accident reported pursuant to this subsection and may request the assistance of the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for such purposes.

(b) (1) In each motor vehicle accident in which any person is killed, the police officer, agency or individual who, in the regular course of duty, investigates such accident shall use reasonable efforts to identify and notify a member of the person's family or household of the fatality as soon as practicable after the accident. Such notification shall (A) indicate that the person was killed in a motor vehicle accident, the location of the accident and the location of the person's body, and (B) on and after the date the applicable police department, agency or individual adopts a policy under subdivision (3) of this subsection, be made in accordance with such policy.

(2) Not later than October 1, 2008, the Police Officer Standards and Training Council established under section 7-294b shall establish a uniform policy for identifying and notifying a member of a person's family or household with respect to any motor vehicle accident in which a person is killed. The council shall make the uniform policy available to each police department, agency or individual required to adopt a policy pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection. The council shall design the uniform policy to ensure that such notification is made promptly in a manner appropriate for the identified member of the person's family or household.

(3) Not later than January 1, 2009, each police department, agency or individual that, in the regular course of duty, has responsibility for investigating motor vehicle accidents shall consider the provisions of the uniform policy established by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection and adopt a policy for identifying and notifying a member of a person's family or household with respect to any motor vehicle accident in which a person is killed. Each such police department, agency or individual shall design its policy to ensure that such notification is made promptly in a manner appropriate for the identified member of the person's family or household.

(4) Policies established or adopted pursuant to this subsection shall not be considered regulations under section 4-166.

(5) For the purposes of this subsection, “police department” includes, but is not limited to, the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

(1961, P.A. 318, S. 1, 2; February, 1965, P.A. 447, S. 4; 1971, P.A. 379, S. 2; P.A. 79-302, S. 3; P.A. 83-165, S. 2; P.A. 84-197, S. 2; P.A. 88-27, S. 2; P.A. 90-112, S. 2, 14; 90-143, S. 3; P.A. 99-181, S. 12; P.A. 08-67, S. 2; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; P.A. 18-3, S. 1.)

History: 1965 act increased property damage limitation from $100 to $200 in Subsec. (b); 1971 act increased property damage limitation in Subsec. (b) to $400; P.A. 79-302 included reference to accidents involving school buses in Subsec. (b); P.A. 83-165 required the uniform investigation of accident report to include the disclosure of names of automobile liability carriers for persons involved in an accident; P.A. 84-197 increased property damage limitation from $400 to $600 in Subsec. (b); P.A. 88-27 increased property damage limitation to $1,000 in Subsec. (b); P.A. 90-112 amended Subsec. (b) to require that accidents involving school buses be reported only if there is a fatality or injury or property damage exceeding $1,000, where previously all such accidents were required to be reported; P.A. 90-143 transferred duties of motor vehicles commissioner to transportation commissioner, expanding power to prescribe accident report form to include state police, deleting requirement that form contain names of insurance companies issuing automobile liability policies to those involved in accident and specifying that reports include accident location and adding provisions requiring that transportation commissioner forward certain reports to motor vehicles commissioner and permitting motor vehicles commissioner to investigate accidents; P.A. 99-181 amended Subsec. (b) by changing the reports required to be forwarded to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles from reports of accidents in which any person is killed and accidents involving a school bus or public service bus to only those accidents involving a school bus; P.A. 08-67 redesignated existing Subsecs. (a) and (b) as Subsec. (a)(1) and (2) and added new Subsec. (b) re policy and requirement to identify and notify a member of a person's family or household after the person is killed in a motor vehicle accident; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 18-3 amended Subsec. (a)(2) by adding provision re report in case of accident in which person is killed, and making technical changes.

Cited. 171 C. 705.

Cited. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 5.

Secs. 14-108b, 14-108c and 14-109. Statistical information based on reports. Report of accident involving unlicensed operator under instruction. Coroner to investigate fatal motor vehicle accidents. Sections 14-108b, 14-108c and 14-109 are repealed.

(1949 Rev., S. 2454; 1961, P.A. 318, S. 3; 1967, P.A. 832, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 699, S. 38; P.A. 80-142, S. 2; 80-190, S. 14; P.A. 90-143, S. 5.)