§ 47-10-115. Confidentiality of reports relating to collisions.

A.  All collision reports made by persons involved in collisions shall be without prejudice to the individual so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the Department or other state agencies having use for the records for collision prevention purposes, or for the administration of the laws of this state relating to the deposit of security and proof of financial responsibility by persons driving or the owners of motor vehicles, except that the Department may disclose the identity of a person involved in a collision when the identity is not otherwise known or when the person denies any presence at a collision.

B.  All collision reports and supplemental information filed in connection with the administration of the laws of this state relating to the deposit of security or proof of financial responsibility shall be confidential and not open to general public inspection, nor shall copying of lists of the reports be permitted, except, however, that the reports and supplemental information may be examined by, or the Department may provide a copy to, any person named therein, a representative of the person as designated in writing by the person, or as provided in Section 40-102 of this title.

C.  No reports or information mentioned in this section shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of a collision, except that the Department shall furnish upon demand of any party to a trial, or upon demand of any court, a certificate showing that a specified collision report has or has not been made to the Department in compliance with law.

Added by Laws 1961, p. 372, § 10-115, eff. Sept. 1, 1961.  Amended by Laws 2000, c. 324, § 3, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2005, c. 394, § 10, emerg. eff. June 6, 2005.