MCOLES State Licensing Practice Exam

Should animals be counted as units on a UD-10 traffic crash?

1. Yes, they should always be counted

2. No, they should not be counted

3. Only if they are injured

4. Only if involved in a multi-vehicle crash

The correct answer is: No, they should not be counted

When considering whether animals should be counted as units on a UD-10 traffic crash report, it is important to recognize the purpose of the report itself. The UD-10 form is designed primarily for documenting human involvement in traffic incidents, including vehicles occupied by people. Since animals do not operate vehicles and typically do not possess the legal status or the same responsibilities as humans within the context of traffic laws, it is common practice to exclude them from being counted as individual units on these reports. In scenarios where animals are involved in a traffic crash, the focus remains on the human aspects of the incident—namely, the drivers, passengers, and any other persons affected. While the presence of animals may have implications for the dynamics of a crash—such as causing an accident, impacting vehicle control, or resulting in property damage—these circumstances do not warrant treating animals as units in the same manner as human occupants of vehicles. As a result, excluding animals from the count ensures clarity and consistency in the documentation of traffic incidents, focusing on the human elements that the UD-10 is designed to capture. This understanding forms the basis for determining that animals should not be counted within the context of a UD-10 traffic crash report.