Answer: No. When a commercial motor vehicle driver is involved in an accident, the driver and company need to ensure that any required accident reports are made to the proper federal, state, and local authorities. The need to report an accident to state or local authorities is often based on:

• The value of the property that was damaged,
• Whether there was a fatality or injury, and/or
• Whether an enforcement officer responded to the scene.

In many but not all cases, accident reporting is handled by the enforcement officer (if any) who arrives at the scene. In some cases, accident reporting is required even if an officer was on-scene. Because there was a release of hazardous materials, the accident must be reported. In addition, the driver may need to report the release of hazardous materials to the National Response Center and/or the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.