Fresno, California Car Accident Reports

Law enforcement will file a report as soon as possible after an accident, but it may take up to twelve business days before your report is available since reports must go through a review process. If it was a hit-and-run collision, or the accident involved a fatality, road rage incident, personal injuries, property crimes, or another type of crime, public access to a report will not be available until the investigation has concluded.

Only the following parties have the authority to request an unredacted Fresno County incident report from the Fresno Police Department:

• All parties involved in the accident including drivers, owners of damaged property, passengers, or victims
• The parents or legal guardian of a minor
• The legal representatives of any party involved in the accident including an accident attorney
• Insurance carriers or insurance adjusters

To obtain a traffic report you must provide the following requester details:

• Date, time, and location of the accident
•  Full name of one of the parties involved
•  The name of the officer who filed the report and their badge number
•  The Fresno Police department requires the report number to request a copy of your report. 

Fresno and Los Angeles accident reports will cost $12 per copy. Accepted forms of payment include credit card, debit card, personal check, or money order. Cash payments are not accepted at this time.

Crash reports contain vital information that you can use to file an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. 

The following information is often found in a traffic accident report:

• Contact information for all parties involved in the motor vehicle crash, including their full names and contact details, as well as any witnesses.
• The reporting law enforcement officer’s assessment of who was at fault and how and why the accident occurred.
• A diagram depicting the crash site, including details such as vehicle positions, road markings, and other pertinent information.
• Information on insurance policies held by all drivers involved in the accident.
• Driver’s license numbers and license plate numbers/vehicle identification numbers for all drivers involved.
• Description of personal injuries sustained in the crash, including any medical treatment required, hospitalization, and follow-up care.
• Description of vehicle and property damage incurred during the accident, including cost estimates and photographs.
• Statements provided by witnesses and their contact information, including those that may support or contradict the law enforcement officer’s findings.
• Citations issued or arrests made, including violations such as speeding, reckless driving, DUI, DWI, failure to yield, etc.
• Details on road and weather conditions at the time of the accident, as well as any other factors that may have contributed to the crash, such as road debris, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks, or broken traffic signals or signs.
• Actions taken by the police officers in response to the accident.
• The type of accident that occurred, such as a scooter, Uber, truck, motorcycle, head-on collision, rear-end accident, rollover collision, scooter, or pedestrian incident.

If your accident took place outside of the city limits, you must contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office to obtain a copy of your report. 

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is located at: 

Fresno County Sheriff’s Office

2200 Fresno St, Fresno, CA 93721

Or contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office by phone at: (559) 600-3111

After a vehicle collision in Central Fresno, if you plan to pursue compensation for your minor injuries or catastrophic injuries, property damage, and other losses, you must obtain copies of police reports. A crash report contains important information from the law enforcement agency that can help strengthen an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. An experienced accident attorney can help you build a strong case that can hold a negligent driver financially responsible for all of your damages.