The appearance to me is damage or injury to others, in most cases. You back into a retaining wall in a parking lot or drive into a rock in the lake, only your property, car or boat, is damaged, no injuries, call the tow truck/boat and go home. Injuries or damage over a $$ limit, report, or get cited for not reporting. Possibly get cited for leaving the scene if it is a reportable accident. At Nipple Rock, there certainly was a lot of damage and injuries and the driver was identified.
In the Winter Harbor H & R, it appears there has not been sufficient info or corroboration as to who the driver was. Without that, who gets the summons? The insurance is on the boat, not the driver, so both boats and dock owner will get reimbursed. Your insurance is in effect even when you are breaking the law, e.g. speeding, running a stop sign, going on the wrong side of a buoy (which really isn't illegal).
|