An Act Relating to 48-hour Accident Reports
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1809
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: MILLS, BROMLEY, LEMOINE, RICHARDSON, SMITH, TARDY, USHER
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2251

Legislative Document 
No. 1809 
H.P.1331 
House of Representatives, December 22,2003 
An Act Relating to 48-hour Accident Reports 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 17,2003. Referred to the Committee on 
Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. 
Presented by Representative MILLS of Farmington. 
Cosponsored by Senator BROMLEY of Cumberland and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: LEMOINE of Old Orchard Beach, RICHARDSON of Brunswick, SMITH of 
Van Buren, TARDY of Newport, USHER of Westbrook. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas. Acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas. this legislation needs to take effect before the 
expiration of 
the 
90-day period 
in order 
to 
reinstate 
the 
recently repealed 48-hour accident report provision; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency wi thin the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2251. sub-§5, as repealed by PL 2003, c. 
434, §25 and affected by §37, is reenacted to read: 
5. 
Forty-eight-hour 
report. 
An 
op-erator 
of 
a 
vehicle 
involved in a reportable accident shall, within 48 hours after 
the accident, 
make 
a written report of the accident to the 
Secretary of State on forms provided by the Secretary of State. 
The Secretary of State may require supplemental reports when the 
original report is insufficient. 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2251. sub-§7. as amended by PL 2003, c. 
434, §27 and affected by §37, is further amended to read: 
7. 
Report information. 
An 
accident report made 
by 
an 
investigating officer or a 48-hour report made by an operator as 
required 
by 
~e~R'le~ 
subsection 
is 
for 
the 
purposes 
of 
statistical analysis and accident prevention. 
A report or statement contained in the accident report, or 
a 
48-hour report as required by 
~e~R'le~ subsection 5, 
a statement 
made or testimony taken at a hearing before the Secretary of 
State held under section 2483, or a decision made as a result of 
that report, 
statement or 
testimony may 
not be 
admitted ln 
evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of the 
accident. 
A report may be admissible in evidence solely to prove compliance 
with this section. 
The Chief of the State Police may disclose the date, time and 
location 
of 
the 
accident 
and 
the 
names 
and 
addresses 
of 
operators, 
owners, 
injured 
persons, 
witnesses 
and 
the 
investigating officer. 
On written request, the chief may furnish 
a photocopy of the investigating officer's report at the expense 
of the person making the request. 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2251, sub-§U, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
414, Pt. B, §46 and affected by Pt. D, §7 and amended by c. 434, 
§28 and affected by §37, is repealed and the following enacted in 
its place: 
11. 
Exemption. 
The 
operator 
of 
a 
snowmobile 
or 
an 
all-terrain 
vehicle 
as 
defined 
by 
Title 
r 
unless 
the 
all-terrain 
vehicle 
is 
registered 
for 
highway 
use 
by 
the 
Secretary of State under this Title, is exempt from the reporting 
requirements of subsections 2 and 5. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
reenacts 
language 
to 
reinstate 
the 
recently 
repealed 48-hour accident report provision.