When Must a Snowmobile Accident Be Reported to Police?

A Snowmobile Accident That Causes Injury or Damage Appearing As More Than $400 In Total Must Be Reported to Police.


Understanding the Mandate to Report a Snowmobile Accident Including Applicable Penalty For Failure to Do So

Snowmobile on fresh snow with snow covered trees in background As is the same for an automobile, where an accident occurs with a snowmobile and an injury is involved, or the resulting damage appears greater than the prescribed value, the accident and full details as required must be reported to the police.  An operator of a snowmobile who fails to properly report an accident may be charged with an offence.

The Law
When Must a Snowmobile Accident Be Reported to Police?

The requirement for the reporting of a snowmobile accident arises apart from the requirement to report an automobile accident which arises as per the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, whereas the requirement applicable to snowmobiles arises per section 13 of the Motorized Snow Vehicles ActR.S.O. 1990, c. M.44.  The requirements for the reporting of a snowmobile accident mandate reporting if an injury occurred or if the collective damage to the snowmobile, among other things, appears to exceed the sum of four hundred ($400.00) dollars.  Specifically, the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act states:


Duty to report accident

13 (1) Every person in charge of a motorized snow vehicle who is directly or indirectly involved in an accident shall, if the accident results in personal injuries or in damage to property apparently exceeding $400, report the accident forthwith to the nearest police officer and furnish the police officer with information in respect of,

(a) the names and addresses of the persons involved;

(b) the date and location of the occurrence; and

(c) the circumstances under which the accident occurred.

As an interesting concern whereas the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act mandates the "forthwith" reporting of an accident, and yet the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act fails to provide a definition for what "forthwith" means, further reference is required and should be made to the Court of Appeal decision within R. v. Cameron, 2006 CanLII 6569 which states:


[6]  Subsection 13(1)(c) of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act provides that “[e]very person in charge of a motorized snow vehicle who is directly or indirectly involved in an accident shall, if the accident results in personal injuries or in damage to property apparently exceeding $400, report the accident forthwith to the nearest police officer and furnish the police officer with information in respect of … (c) the circumstances under which the accident occurred.”  There are no reported decisions that interpret the meaning of “forthwith” in the context of this section of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.  However, this section is virtually identical to the failure to report provision in s. 199(1) of the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8.  Subsection 199(1) of the Highway Traffic Act has been interpreted to mean that someone involved in an accident must report it within a reasonable time having regard to all of the circumstances of the case.  Both counsel appear to be in agreement that the interpretation to be given to the word “forthwith” should be the same in both statutes.  The disagreement relates to how the forthwith requirement was applied.

Accordingly, per the Cameron decision, a snowmobile accident must be reported "forthwith" which is interpreted in the same manner as "forthwith" is interpreted for section 199(1) of the Highway Traffic Act, which is, "within a reasonable time having regard to all of the circumstances of the case".

Penalty
What Is the Punishment For Failing to Report a Snowmobile Accident to Police?

Whereas section 13 of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act is silent, meaning lacking details, regarding the potential fine, reference to section 25 of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act, being the section providing for a general penalty where a penalty is otherwise absent, is required.  Specifically, section 25 of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act states:


25 Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the regulations is guilty of an offence and on conviction where a fine for the contravention is not otherwise provided for herein is liable to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

Accordingly, the fine for failing to report an accident as legally required is a maximum of one thousand ($1,000) dollars.  Interestingly, and unlike most fines for an offence, the provision fails to prescribe a minimum fine.

Summary Comment

When an accident involving a snowmobile occurs, the owner or driver or any other "person in charge" of the snowmobile must report the accident to police if an injury is involved or if the damage appears to exceed four hundred ($400.00) dollars.  Where a person required to report an accident fails to do so "forthwith", meaning within a reasonable time considering the circumstances involved, the person may be subjected to a fine of up to one thousand ($1,000) dollars.

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