Can You File a Police Report After an Accident?

If you’ve been in a serious car accident, you know you should call 911. After a bad collision, you need police and other emergency responders. After a minor accident, you may not need paramedics to check out your injuries. In some cities, police will not respond to a non-injury accident.

After any accident, you must exchange insurance information with the other driver and give them your contact information. You are not required to notify the police department or get an accident report. If you need an accident report, you can sometimes file one after the accident.

Whether you call the police or not, you must notify your insurance company and other agencies after an automobile accident. These agencies can advise you if you need a copy of the report.

What if You Need a Police Report After the Accident?

If the police didn’t respond to the accident, you can still file a police report if you need one or if your insurance company wants one. Known as an “incident report,” police may take the report over the phone or online. Filing a report after the accident lets you officially document your side of the accident. The report is no different than a written report taken by an officer at the time of the accident. If there is anything that the reporting agency thinks needs a follow-up, they will contact you.

If there were any injuries or serious property damage, you must file a report within 24 hours. In some states, you need to file a DMV report within ten days. If you don’t have all the information, such as the other driver’s contact information, give the DMV or law enforcement agency as much as you do have.

Who Do You Need To Call After an Accident?

Although each state has slightly different reporting requirements, drivers must call 911 to report an accident when:

• There are fatalities
• There are serious injuries
• There is damage over $1,000 to vehicles or property

Since most vehicles today suffer $1,000 worth of damage for anything more than a minor door scratch, it’s usually best to call 911 and advise them of the situation. The operator can let you know whether an officer will respond to the scene. If they do not, ask the operator for the incident number. You may need it later.

Certain states require you to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within ten days of the accident. Don’t depend on the other driver to make the call. In most states, you can file the report online.

You must also report the accident to your insurance company. People often fail to report minor accidents to their insurer, fearing that their rates will go up. This can be a bad idea for several reasons, including those listed below:

• The other driver may report the accident and overstate your degree of fault, which could leave you holding the bag for your damages and those of the other driver
• Your injuries or damages may be more serious than you realized
• Failing to report in time can expose you to charges of insurance fraud or worse
• All states have statutes of limitation on personal injury claims, which can be as short as two years

Always follow your insurance policy’s requirements for filing police reports and reporting accidents. It’s safest in the long run if anything goes amiss.

If You Hit a Parked Car

If you hit a parked car, it is still a hit-and-run accident if you leave without trying to find the car’s owner. You’re not expected to stay there all day, but you must put in a reasonable amount of effort. If the owner is not in the immediate vicinity, provide your basic contact information by leaving a note on the car with your name and phone number. Avoid leaving your driver’s license number or other identifying information, since you don’t know who may retrieve the note.

If there is major damage, treat the accident as if it were any other motor vehicle accident without injuries. Call 911 and notify your insurance company.

If You’re the Victim of a Hit-and-Run Accident

Any accident where a driver leaves the scene without providing accurate contact information becomes a hit-and-run accident. If you’re the victim of such an accident, contact law enforcement and let them know a hit-and-run incident has occurred.

Give the responding officers all the details you can recall about the other vehicle. Remembering the license plate number is ideal, but even the color, make, and model are helpful. You should not leave the accident scene until you have called 911. Police can charge both drivers with hit-and-run charges if neither party reports the accident.

Where To Get a Police Report

Whether a police officer takes the crash report at the scene or you make one after the fact, you will not get a copy immediately. Officers must file their accident reports and have them approved by supervisors before releasing them. Depending on your state, you will need to wait at least 10 days before the report is available.

Contact the agency that handled the original report to get your copy. In most states, the Highway Patrol or state troopers are the responding agencies on highways. If the accident occurred in a city or county, the local police department or sheriff’s department will have the report.

Many agencies use the online service buycrash.com. This is a website that charges a small fee to purchase a downloadable copy of the police report. You will need to provide:

• The date and location of the accident
• The last name of one party
• The report number, if you have it

Get Legal Advice From a Car Accident Lawyer

All accidents have the potential to become serious, both physically and financially. It’s a good idea to file a police report, even if you do so after the fact. If you need help making a report, speak with an experienced car accident attorney in your area.