Obtaining A Police Report
The best way to report an accident is to call 9-1-1. at the time of the accident. Get the name and contact information for the officer who completed the report, along with the report number, and ask them how a copy of the police report can be obtained later.
Certain helpful tips should be kept in mind when making your statements for the report. It is important to be truthful, however, never make any statements regarding fault or assigning blame whether it be admitting fault or assigning blame to someone else.
Also, do not answer questions for which an answer is not known. If the interviewed individual provides an answer that he or she knows may or may not be true, and that information is later refuted, that could be used against him or her.
A police report should include an accurate description of what happened in the accident, how many people were in the car at the time of the accident, names and contact information for any witnesses, injuries that are being experienced, signs of property damage to vehicles involved, driver insurance information, and vehicle information.
If a police report is not filed, this failure to report can be a problem later if an injured party wants to file a claim. When in doubt, it is best to go ahead and contact the police, even if an insurance claim is not filed.
What Not To Do When Youre In An Auto Accident
Now that you know what to do after a minor car accident, and understand the importance of reporting an accident and how to file a motor vehicle accident report, here are some things NOT to do after an auto accident :
I Was In A Car Accidentdo I Have To Call The Police
Put simply, you do not have to call the authorities for most car accidents, particularly minor ones. The fact is that calling the police usually depends on how serious the injuries are and how extensive the property damage is. Even if you do not need to call the police to the scene of the accident, you should call them within one day of the accident.
When to Call or Not to Call
For the majority of accidents where no fatality or severe injury resulted, you should first evaluate the situation before calling the authorities. Move the vehicles to the side of the road if you are not too injured to do so. Check yourself and your passengers for injuries before dong the same for the other vehicle involved. Call the police and an ambulance right away if anyone has been injured.
Next, take a look at your vehicle to see how extensive the damage is. You arent obligated to call the police immediately for small scratches or dents unless you and the other driver cannot come to agree to operate through your insurers. Damages valued at $1,000 or more should be reported to the police.
You and the other driver may be able to come to a mutual understanding if the injuries and damage are very minor. This can be done fairly easily through your insurance companies. You must still file a report to the police prior to pursuing a claim for damages, however.
Make sure to call the authorities if:
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Call The Police Or Report To A Collision Centre
Property damage under $2,000, where no one was injured
If the accident does not involve personal injury and none of the drivers involved are suspected of a law violation, such as driving while their ability was impaired, and the property damage is under $2,000 , there is no legal requirement to call and wait for the police. Generally, under these circumstances, police will not attend the scene. The exception to this is if there has been damage done to someone elses property, such as to telephone poles, guard rails or someones lawn. In most cases, you are simply required to take your car to a Collision Reporting Centre.
Property damage over $2,000, and / or if someone is injured
When someone is injured in an accident, or any of the drivers involved are suspected of a law violation, or there is property damage over $2,000, you are required by law to contact the police before leaving the scene of the accident. The police may require you to wait for them to arrive, or they may instruct you to take your car to a Collision Reporting Centre.
Collision Reporting Centres
The Collision Reporting Centres are partnerships between the local police services, insurance providers and private enterprise.
Should I Call The Police After A Fender
A fender-bender is a minor accident that usually does not involve injuries. Sometimes, it doesnt even involve noticeable damage. So should you call the police? Our recommendation is yes. Even a minor accident can result in property damage and an insurance claim. It is best to call the police so there is documentation of what happened. Also, if another party involved gets antsy or aggressive, a police officer can diffuse and control the situation.
Sometimes with fender-benders, police may just tell you to exchange information, and may not write up a formal report. Depending on the situation, they may or may not issue a citation if someone was breaking the law. If you are told to exchange information, here is what you should obtain:
- Name, address, and phone number
- Name and phone number of their car insurance company
- Insurance policy number
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Should I Call The Police After An Accident
Anyone that has ever been in a car accident understands the amount of stress involved. As hard as it may be, it is important to remain calm after an accident. Once an accident occurs, most people instinctively begin to dial 911. However, there is some debate as to whether or not injured motorists should call police following a car crash.
Getting police involved in a car accident may seem trivial to some, especially if the accident is a minor one. However, regardless of whether or not there were injuries, police should always be contacted. When police arrive to the scene of an accident, they typically conduct a detailed field investigation. Based on their findings, police will generate a crash report, which objectively documents any injuries and who may be liable for the crash. These reports play a very important role in establishing the groundwork for an injured partyâs personal injury claim.
According to statistical data that is released by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there have been 254,454 crashes in 2014. Of those crashes, 167,607 people were injured with 1,806 fatalities. These numbers are alarming, especially since we have almost three months left in the year. Based on these statistics, it is clear that car accidents occur quite often, leaving many people left injured. Thus, it is imperative that parties report their accidents to police in order for them to conduct a formal investigation of the car crash.
What Is Included In Police Reports For Car Accidents
The information included in a police report for a car accident can vary based on the details of the accident, who filed the report, and where the report was filed. For example, a car accident police report at the scene will be different from the police report filed at a reporting centre.
The following information is typically included in a police accident report form :
- Report Number : The police accident report reference number will be indicated.
- Date and Location : The report will have the date and location details of the accident.
- Accident Details : Photos of damage, location of damage, type of accident
- Driver Information : Drivers license, insurance, ownership, contact information of all drivers involved.
- Vehicle Information : Make and model of vehicles involved in the accident.
- Statements : Statements of what witnesses and passengers saw.
- Driver Statement : A statement of the events that led to the car accident from the drivers perspective.
- Other Information : Any other information that may be relevant to the accident, such as road and weather conditions.
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Dont Refuse Medical Evaluation And Attention At The Scene
Refusing medical attention at the scene might bring more suffering later. You may think youre fine, but some injuries are not immediately apparent or you might fail to recognize certain symptoms as dangerous. In addition, turning down a medical once-over or basic medical evaluation could affect your future legal claim. The other drivers attorney and insurance company might argue that in refusing medical treatment at the scene, you werent seriously injured or that any injuries identified later were unconnected with the car accident.
Benefits Of Calling The Police
There are a few benefits to calling the police after a car accident:
- Dispute resolution: The other driver may dispute that he or she was at fault for the crash. However, when you report an accident to the police, the responding officer will create an accident report that may explain who the officer thinks is to blame. If the officer says the other driver is to blame or cites him or her for a traffic violation, it can do a lot to strengthen your claim.
- Documentation: An accident report preserves important details about the accident, including where it happened, road conditions, any witness statements, details on any citations issued for the accident and many other facts that may help establish fault in a claim.
- Effective evidence: The official police assessment included in an accident report may hold more credibility than any informal statements gathered from witnesses. This is because an insurance company or jury may deem an officers statements to be more reliable than those of a witness.
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Does The Law Require Me To Call Police In This Particular Situation
In Florida, the law is unambiguous on when you must get the police involved. Always call the police in any of the following situations:
- The accident involved bodily injury or death.
- The accident involved an intoxicated driver or a hit-and-run.
- The property damage from the accident appears to exceed $500.
When It Is A Good Idea To Notify The Police
Even when a car accident in Georgia seems minor, such as in the case of a rear-end crash at slow speeds, it is still a good idea to call the police. This is because many times, injuries from a car accident in Georgia, such as whiplash, may not be immediately evident. In addition, it is hard to assign a dollar amount to vehicle damage without getting an official estimate, so it is better to have a report.
The police report will be essential documentation of when and where the accident happened. Otherwise, the insurance company might refuse to pay for your car repairs or medical bills, claiming that the property damage and injuries occurred elsewhere.
The at-fault driver might try to lie his way out of liability for the crash if you do not protect yourself and your claim by calling the police to document what caused the wreck. The police report will provide a link between the accident and your injuries. Your lawyer will gather the report and your medical records to build your case for compensation.
Note: If you did not call police to the scene, you can file your own accident report.
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Get Witness Contact Info
If there are willing witnesses, ask them for their contact information and if they can wait for the police to arrive. If the accident occurred on private property, like a parking lot, ask security or a manager to make a statement. You want to have a neutral third-party account of the incident if at all possible.
Does Filing A Police Report Mean You Need To File An Insurance Claim
Filing a traffic accident police report does not mean that you are required to file a car insurance claim for the accident. The police report is the record of the accident, and it will outline the details of what occurred. It can also help protect you because you dont know what the other driver may do or say after the accident.
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Do I Need To Report A Minor Crash Or Collision Without Injuries
As the statutes referenced in the previous section make plain, it is absolutely mandatory for New Jersey and Pennsylvania drivers to notify the police after an accident which is serious enough to cause property damage, personal injury, or death. But what if its a minor, low-speed accident where no one is hurt and no property is broken or destroyed?
In these cases, you should look to your auto insurance contract for the answer. While it might be tempting to simply drive away, the vast majority of insurance agreements do contain provisions requiring policyholders to report all accidents no matter how minor.
As for notifying the police, the answer lies in the wording of state law. 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3744 specifies accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to any vehicle or other property, and says nothing about accidents which cause none of the above. Likewise, N.J.S.A. § 39:4-130 specifies only accident resulting in injury to or death of any person, or damage to property of any one person in excess of $500.00. While its not mandatory to report accidents to the police if they dont fit this description, its still a good idea, because, as we discussed earlier, the resulting police report can come in handy in the future.
When To Not Call 911
Essentially, you do not need to call the police if no one is hurt, there is minimal property damage, and the accident is not blocking traffic or creating a hazard. For a fender bender or minor collision, exchange contact and insurance information and file a police report on your own. If you arent sure if your car is drivable, call a tow truck to take it to your home or mechanic.
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Call For Help For Someone Who Is Injured
You should call an ambulance if it appears that someone is injured. You should not touch the injured person, unless you have medical training or unless the victims needs are clear. For example, if a car is burning, you can pull the victim from the car. If you can do so safely, you should help prevent further accidents by warning approaching traffic, such as putting on your hazard signals, or raising the hood of your vehicle.
What To Do After A Car Accident
No matter how careful you are when you are driving your car or how attentive you are to the behaviors of other drivers, car accidents happen. Below are some quick steps to take after a car accident.
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What Details Should You Take After An Accident
As a driver, you are obliged to give your name and address to anyone else involved in the accident.
You must also provide details of the vehicles owner , along with the cars registration number.
If nobody has been injured as a result of the accident, theres no legal requirement to provide details of your car insurance, but it might speed up the claims process if you exchange insurance company details and policy numbers.
It’s also worth getting their details, because it’s possible that at the time of the accident you aren’t aware of what injuries you may have suffered.
If another person has been injured, you must produce your certificate of insurance if anyone at the scene has reasonable grounds to request it.
The Road Traffic Act says that you must report the accident to a police constable or police station within 24 hours.
You can do this by calling 101, the police non-emergency number.
You should also provide details if damage has been caused to third party property or a parked car, even if there are no other people involved.
For example, leaving a note on a cars windscreen is sufficient if youre unable to locate the owner.
The police should be called if you are blocking the road or you feel you might have been the victim of a so-called crash for cash scam.
In these incidents, fraudsters deliberately crash into the vehicle in front in order to submit false insurance claims.
Finally, make notes about the accident, which might assist with the insurance claim.
Can I Report Accidents Online
Some police forces will allow you to report accidents online. For example, the Metropolitan Police have a report a road traffic incident tool.
You can check your local forces website to see if they offer this.
But if its an emergency for example, if someone is injured or a car is blocking the road you should always call 999.
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