(a) Any nonresident who operates a motor vehicle in the Virgin Islands, and any nonresident who owns a motor vehicle which is operated in the Virgin Islands with his express or implied consent, shall be deemed to have appointed the Government Secretary of the Virgin Islands as his agent upon whom may be served the process in any action against him arising out of any accident or collision occurring within the Virgin Islands in which the motor vehicle is involved while being so operated. Such operation shall be a signification of the agreement by such nonresident that any process so served shall be of the same force and validity as if served upon him personally within the Virgin Islands.
(b) Service of process under this section shall be made upon the Government Secretary in the same manner as in civil actions generally, accompanied by a fee of $2, and when so made, such service shall be as effectual to all intents and purposes as if made personally upon the defendant in the Virgin Islands; provided, that not later than the day following the commencement of the action, a copy of the process, and notice that service of the original process has or soon will be made upon the Government Secretary, shall be sent by the plaintiff or his attorney to the defendant by registered mail with return receipt requested. The defendant's return receipt and the affidavit by plaintiff or his attorney that this section has been complied with shall be filed in the action within 10 days after the plaintiff receives the defendant's return receipt. If the notice and copy of the process are not received by the defendant, the court may order such additional notice, if any, as justice may require. The court may order such continuance as may be necessary to afford the defendant reasonable opportunity to defend the action.
(c) The provisions of this section shall also apply to a resident who is absent from the Virgin Islands at the time of the accident or who departs from the Virgin Islands after the accident, and who remains absent therefrom continuously for a period of 30 days after the accident, whether such absence is intended to be temporary or permanent.
(d) This section is an extension of, and not a limitation upon, any right otherwise existing to serve process by attachment or publication or otherwise.