- Hawaii Police Department - https://www.hawaiipolice.com -

Police to begin new procedure for minor traffic accidents 06-15-06

HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAFFIC SERVICES SECTION
SERGEANT DEXTER VERIATO
PHONE: 961-2305
JUNE 15, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE

Police are advising the public that beginning July 1, 2006, the Police Department will no longer generate a written police report for Minor Traffic and Non-Traffic Accidents in Hawaii County.

A Minor Accident is classified as any accident having no injuries and less that $3,000 in damage. A Traffic Accident occurs on public property, such as roadways and highways. A Non-Traffic Accident occurs on private property, such as parking lots.

Section 291C-16 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) requires a police officer to file a written report if an accident causes injuries or if damages appear to be $3,000 or more. Such a situation would be classified as a Major Accident.

“Last year, 65 percent of all crashes officers responded to on the Big Island were minor crashes,” said Sergeant Dexter Veriato of the Traffic Services Section. “We expend many hours and taxpayer dollars on scene preparing reports for minor accidents.”

Unless minor accidents involve impaired drivers or other violations, they are considered civil and not criminal. Therefore, they do not require police to do anything more than assess for damage, injuries or violations.

The City and County of Honolulu and Maui County have already implemented a similar procedure that requires drivers involved in minor accidents to exchange information for insurance purposes in accordance with Section 291C-14 of the HRS. “We will adopt a similar procedure and still provide the Accident Exchange Form to the drivers of the vehicles involved,” said Sergeant Veriato. “Our officers will continue to respond to all accidents and issue citations for violations and make arrests, if necessary.”

The drivers of the vehicles involved in accidents will be responsible for contacting their insurance carriers and providing them with the Accident Exchange Form that contains information about the other vehicles, drivers, and insurance carriers.

# # #