Motor Vehicle Accident

What is a motor vehicle accident ?

RSA 259:1-a Accident: "Accident" shall mean any event that results in injury or property damage attributable directly or indirectly to the motion of a motor vehicle or its load.
What should you do if you are involved in an accident ?

Remain Calm! make sure that you and any occupant of your vehicle is safe and uninjured, then check on the condition of the occupant (s) of any other vehicle that may have been involved.

If possible, leave your vehicle at the point where it came to rest, moving it may be unsafe and could hinder the investigation which may be conducted by the police.

Contact (or have someone who is able to call) the Police and Fire Departments as well as the Ambulance service if there are injured persons.

Obtain the driver's license and registration information from the owner of any other vehicle involved, or the owner of any other property damaged as a result of the accident. If you are unable to at the time of the accident, you MUST report it immediately to the nearest Police Station/Police Officer so that they can file the appropriate report. The responsibility for reporting the accident is with the parties involved.

How does the accident get reported to the DMV ?

RSA 264:25 states that ..."any person driving a vehicle which is in any manner involved in an accident, or any person who owns a vehicle which was illegally parked when it was involved in an accident shall within 15 days after such accident report in writing to the division...if ay person is injured or killed, or if damage to property s in excess of $1000.00, unless (emphasis added) the accident is investigated by a Police Officer, in which case a report filed by such officer shall satisfy the requirements of this section..."

If you have been involved in an accident and you do not have insurance, you must prepare a "Blue Insurance Card" which will need to be sent to the DMV. If you were involved in an accident where you and the other party involved simply exchanged paperwork, then later found that the damage exceeds $1000.00 or the other party was injured, you will need to pick up an "uninvestigated accident report" at the Merrimack Police Station. This report will need to be completed by you and mailed to the DMV.

If you should have any questions regarding the procedures, simply contact any member of the Patrol or Administrative Services Division. We will be glad to assist you !