ORS 811.720
When accident must be reported to Department of Transportation

Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, any accident occurring on a highway or upon premises open to the public resulting in injury or death to any person is subject to the reporting requirements under the following sections:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(2)

Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, an accident occurring on a highway or upon premises open to the public resulting in damage to the property of any person in excess of $2,500 is subject to the following reporting requirements:

(a)

The driver of a vehicle that has more than $2,500 damage must report the accident in the manner specified under ORS 811.725 (Driver failure to report accident to Department of Transportation).

(b)

The owner of a vehicle that has more than $2,500 damage must report the accident in the manner specified in ORS 811.730 (Owner failure to report accident to Department of Transportation) and under the circumstances specified in ORS 811.730 (Owner failure to report accident to Department of Transportation).

(c)

If the property damage is to property other than a vehicle involved in the accident, each driver involved in the accident must report the accident in the manner specified under ORS 811.725 (Driver failure to report accident to Department of Transportation) and each owner of a vehicle involved in the accident must report the accident in the manner specified in ORS 811.730 (Owner failure to report accident to Department of Transportation) and under the circumstances specified in ORS 811.730 (Owner failure to report accident to Department of Transportation).

(d)

If a vehicle involved in the accident is damaged to the extent that the vehicle must be towed from the scene of the accident, each driver involved in the accident must report the accident in the manner specified under ORS 811.725 (Driver failure to report accident to Department of Transportation) and each owner of a vehicle involved in the accident must report the accident in the manner specified in ORS 811.730 (Owner failure to report accident to Department of Transportation) and under the circumstances specified in ORS 811.730 (Owner failure to report accident to Department of Transportation).

(3)

The dollar amount specified in subsection (2) of this section may be increased every five years by the Department of Transportation based upon any increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor or its successor during the preceding 12-month period. The amount determined under this subsection shall be rounded to the nearest $100.

(4)

The following are exempt from the reporting requirements of this section:

(a)

Operators of snowmobiles, Class I all-terrain vehicles or Class III all-terrain vehicles.

(b)

A law enforcement official acting in the course of official duty if the accident involved a law enforcement official performing a lawful intervention technique or a law enforcement official and a person acting during the commission of a criminal offense. As used in this paragraph:

(A)

“Law enforcement official” means a person who is responsible for enforcing the criminal laws of this state or a political subdivision of this state and who is employed or volunteers:

(i)

As a peace officer commissioned by a city, university that has established a police department under ORS 352.121 (University police departments and officers) or 353.125 (Creation of police department and commission of police officers), port, school district, mass transit district, county or county service district authorized to provide law enforcement services under ORS 451.010 (Authorization to establish master plans and service districts);

(ii)
With the Department of State Police or the Criminal Justice Division of the Department of Justice;
(iii)

As an investigator of a district attorney’s office, if the investigator is certified as a peace officer in this state; or

(iv)

As an authorized tribal police officer as defined in ORS 181A.940 (Definitions for ORS 181A.940 to 181A.946).

(B)

“Lawful intervention technique” means a method by which one motor vehicle causes, or attempts to cause, another motor vehicle to stop. [1983 c.338 §576; 1987 c.258 §11; 1993 c.614 §1; 1997 c.279 §1; 2001 c.827 §7; 2003 c.531 §1; 2005 c.405 §1; 2011 c.506 §49; 2011 c.644 §§34,56; 2013 c.180 §§54,55; 2015 c.174 §24; 2017 c.189 §1; 2019 c.57 §36]

Source: Section 811.720 — When accident must be reported to Department of Transportation, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors811.­html .

Attorney General Opinions

Police officer duty to report intentional line-of-duty collision or other vehicle damage, (2004) No. 8280