Police Accident Reporting

A motor vehicle accident is distressing to all involved. Even if the damage to the cars is minor and there are no injuries, you might want to consider filing a police accident report.

Significance

A police accident report can be helpful in determining how the crash occurred, the damage to the vehicles and which driver was at fault.

Features

A police accident report contains information on the drivers, cars, passengers, auto insurance, weather and road conditions, and any traffic law violations committed by the drivers.

Time Frame

Call the police immediately so they can respond to the scene of the accident. If you leave the scene, they might not be able to write a report after the fact.

Benefits

A police accident report gives an unbiased account of the crash and includes all the information you need to report the accident to your insurance company.

Warning

Some states require a report be filed if there are any injuries or for damage more than a certain dollar amount. Leaving the scene of an accident when there is serious injury is a felony in most states.

References

• Auto Accident Reports
• Hit and Run Laws By State

Resources

• Free From Broke
• Lawyers.com
• AAA--What to Do in an Accident