California Car Accident Reports

To obtain a collision crime report, you must qualify as a party of interest in the accident.The authorized parties-collision request includes drivers, passengers, the legal guardian of a minor, accident attorney, or insurance provider. These parties can obtain a non-redacted copy of an accident report when they provide valid identification and pay the appropriate fee.

To obtain your collision report from the California Highway Patrol, you must pay a fee. Fees are based on the length of the report.Copies of collision reports will cost:

• $10.00 1-25 pages
• $20.00 26-50 pages
• $30.00 51-75 pages
• $40.00 76-100 pages
• $10.00 Over 100 pages – for each additional 25 pages

Money orders or checks should be made payable to the California Highway Patrol.

A California accident report will include important information that can be used to strengthen an insurance claim or accident lawsuit.In these types of reports, you’ll find:

• The responding police officer’s badge number, and police department information
• Insurance company information for each driver
• Description of personal property damage
• Diagram of the accident scene
• Accident type/type of collision-Types of collisions can include rear-end collision, head-on collision, etc.
• Vehicle license plate numbers or VINs
• Location of occurrence
• The driver license number for each driver
• Contact information for each involved party
• The police officer will provide a crash narrative that will include the accident events, accident sequence, and who they believe is responsible for the accident

The availability of accident reports can vary depending on the circumstances of the accident. A police officer will typically file a report within seventy-two hours unless the accident involved a fatality, personal injuries, or significant property damage. In cases such as these, a report may be unavailable for several months.

If you’ve recently been involved in an auto accident in California, you may consider pursuing a legal claim against the at-fault driver to cover the cost of medical bills, vehicle repairs or replacement, and other damages.If you plan to file a lawsuit or an insurance claim, you must obtain a copy of your California accident report. Your insurance policy may also require you to provide a copy of this important document. Additionally, if you have an accident lawyer, they will want a copy of this report as they investigate and build a case against the negligent driver.In most cases, a traffic collision that occurs on the highway falls under the jurisdiction of the CHP, or California Highway Patrol. If an accident took place in the CHP area and an accident report was filed, you must obtain a copy of it for your records.Important information in a traffic crash report that can help your claim can include:

• The geographic location of incident
• Police officer’s opinion regarding which driver they believe was at fault
• Descriptions of bodily injuries and vehicle damage/personal property damage
• Diagram of the accident scene
• CHP office and contact details
• Valid identification card information for each party involved