Reporting accidents

1. The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of such accident to the sheriff of the county in which said accident occurred, or the nearest office of the state patrol, or to any other peace officer as near as practicable to the place where the accident occurred. 2. The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person, or total property damage to an apparent extent of one thousand five hundred dollars or more shall, within seventy-two hours after the accident, forward a written report of the accident to the department. However, such report is not required when the accident is investigated by a law enforcement agency. 3. Every law enforcement officer who, in the regular course of duty, investigates a motor vehicle accident of which report must be made as required in subsections 1 and 2, either at the time of and at the scene of the accident or thereafter by interviewing participants or witnesses shall, within twenty-four hours after completing such investigation, forward a written report of such accident to the department. 4. Notwithstanding section 455B.386, a carrier transporting hazardous material upon a public highway in this state, in the case of an accident involving the transportation of the hazardous material, shall immediately notify the police radio broadcasting system established pursuant to section 693.1 or shall notify a peace officer of the county or city in which the accident occurs. When a local law enforcement agency is informed of the accident, the agency shall notify the state patrol. A person who violates a provision of this subsection is guilty of a serious misdemeanor.