Car Accident Reports

A car accident report is like a snapshot of an auto collision. It's a summary of events surrounding an accident, reduced to writing and recorded as close to the time of the accident as possible. Car Accident Reports are also sometimes referred to as "Police Reports" or "Incident Reports."

In the unfortunate event you are involved in an automobile accident it's important to gather as much information as possible, especially considering that the question of fault may arise later on.

Car accidents almost always involve property damage. Some involve the personal injury of passengers and bystanders.

Background on Car Accident Reports...

One of the first things people do after an accident is call 911. Over the years, the sheer number of accidents resulted in a change to many police department policies. These days when calling 911, a dispatcher will ask the caller some questions before sending police and fire rescue units to the scene.

The 911 dispatcher will first try to identify:

If any of the above factors exist police and rescue units will be dispatched to the scene. If none of the above are present the dispatcher will inform the caller that police will not be called out. In this instance the drivers should exchange identification and insurance information. Once the exchange is completed the drivers are free to leave.

Later on that day, or within a few days of the accident, the drivers can go down to the police station and request an accident report form. The form is similar to the ones used by the police, but it's up to the driver to fill in the information.

From now on we'll presume police and rescue were dispatched to the accident scene. Police are always first to arrive. They will identify and attend to any injured parties so when EMS arrives they can more quickly transport the injured to the local hospital. In the case of a drunk driver, EMS may not be dispatched unless the police specifically request their assistance.

Once the police arrive they'll begin gathering information about the accident. That information will ultimately be reduced to writing and entered into a car accident report.

Police are trained to be thorough in accident investigations. They will usually begin by:

• Identifying the parties to the accident, including their names, addresses and insurance policies.


• Identifying the injured.


• Setting up flares and directing traffic safely around the accident.


• Taking statements from the drivers, including the drivers' renditions of the cause of the accident.


• Collecting witness identification, including the names and addresses of the passengers.


• Taking photos of the accident scene.


• Ticketing one or both drivers if it is clear a traffic violation such as running a red light or speeding had occurred.


• Asking the drivers if they want to call their own towing company. (If not, the police will contact dispatch and ask for a tow truck to be sent to the scene. Tow truck companies usually bid each year for the contract to tow for the city.)


• Calling out city crews to begin picking up debris to clear traffic lanes as soon as possible.


• They will draw rough diagrams of the accident scene, including the direction and location of each vehicle at the time of the accident.


• They will make note of road and weather conditions.


• Later on, usually back at the station, the responding police officer will sit down and write the accident report. In it he'll write a narrative of what he believes were the events leading up to the accident. The narrative is based on all the information gathered at the accident scene.

There may be additional information included in the car accident report, but the list above reflects much of the information drivers will rely on in subsequent negotiations (or trial) to determine negligence and liability.

Before leaving the accident scene the police officer will give the drivers, family members or friends still at the scene a Reference Number. Some states call it a "Service Number," others a "Report Number," and some, simply an "Accident Report Number." It's important to keep this number safe since it's the direct reference to your car accident report.

Normally the police will have a copy of their report available for pickup within a week or so. Some police agencies require a nominal fee of a few dollars and some won't charge anything, especially if it's for the drivers involved in the accident.

How to Read the Car Accident Report...

Most information in the report is straightforward and easy to understand. Things such as the other driver's name and address, and the name, policy number, and telephone number of the other driver's insurance company.

Some of the remaining information may be tough to make out. Most accident reports have codes on them. These codes usually reflect the police officer's view of contributing factors leading to the accident. Notations such as "following too closely," or "failing to yield" may be some of the entries made in the report. Other information such as weather at the time of the accident will also be noted.

The Car Accident Report's Effect On Your Personal Injury Claim...

At the time of the accident it may have seemed pretty clear which driver was at fault, but after some time has passed one or both of the drivers may begin to blame the other. It's commonplace for insurance companies to step in after the accident to begin negotiating a settlement between the drivers.

Although the insurance companies will probably take their insured's statement, they will likely place more emphasis on the information contained in the car accident report.

The diagrams of the accident and the narrative of the police officer will often be used to determine the fault of a driver. If there were witnesses listed in the report they will be contacted for their statements. Their view of the accident will also contribute to a designation of fault.

Almost all auto insurance policies require the insured to notify the insurance company of their involvement in a car accident. Once fault seems clear the insurance company of the at-fault party will take over negotiations for a settlement with the injured driver.

Because insurance companies are notorious for paying as little as they can to settle a case, the injured driver should be careful of the pitfalls of insurance company negotiated settlements. Insurance adjusters assigned to these types of car accident cases are quite skilled at what they do.

An adjuster's dream is to be able to negotiate a settlement with an inexperienced and unknowledgeable victim of a car accident. Nine times out of ten the injured party will walk away from a negotiation feeling as if they've just negotiated a fabulous settlement, when in reality they settled their claim for thousands less than was appropriate under the circumstances.

Read more about negotiating car accident settlements to get a leg up on the insurance adjuster.