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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78906</law_id><section_number>29.1-740</section_number><catch_line>Duty to stop and render assistance; penalties for violations</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="29.1">Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Boating Laws</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Boating Safety</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>It shall be the duty of every operator of a <span class="dictionary">vessel</span> involved in a collision to stop and render assistance as required by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duty of operator involved in collision, accident or other casualty; immunity from liability; report of collision, etc.; summons in lieu of arrest" href="/29.1-739/">29.1-739</a>. If any person knowingly fails to comply with the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duty of operator involved in collision, accident or other casualty; immunity from liability; report of collision, etc.; summons in lieu of arrest" href="/29.1-739/">29.1-739</a> when the collision, accident or other casualty results in serious bodily injury to, or the death of, any person, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. If any person knowingly fails to comply with the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duty of operator involved in collision, accident or other casualty; immunity from liability; report of collision, etc.; summons in lieu of arrest" href="/29.1-739/">29.1-739</a>, when the collision, accident or other casualty results only in damage to property, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. However, if the <span class="dictionary">vessel</span> struck is unattended and the damage is less than fifty dollars, such person shall be punished only by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars.</p></section></text><history>1975, c. 429, &#xA7; 62.1-177.1; 1987, c. 488.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
