One of the first steps you should take after a car accident in Georgia is to request your police accident report. While you may not offer the report as evidence in a trial, you will still need the crash report as you establish your car accident claim. Here, we provide a guide for getting police crash reports in Georgia.
What Information Do Georgia Accident Reports Include?
You can find a sample version of a standard Georgia police accident report here. These reports contain a wealth of information to support your car accident insurance claim, including:
- Basic crash data — Date, time, and location of the crash, along with the number of vehicles, injuries, and any deaths involved.
- Driver information — Names of all the drivers involved in the collision, their addresses, dates of birth, license details, and insurance information.
- Vehicle details — Vehicle makes, models, years, VINs, license plate numbers, and any trailer information for all vehicles involved in the crash.
- Crash location details — Exact location of the crash, with latitude and longitude coordinates, road names, and whether it occurred at or near an intersection.
- Contributing factors — Conditions or actions contributing to the crash, such as driver behavior, vehicle defects, or road conditions.
- Citation information — List of traffic citations issued to the parties, including the corresponding sections of the law.
- Witness information — Names, addresses, and contact details of witnesses who saw the accident.
- Occupant information — Details about any occupants in the vehicles involved in the collision, including their names, ages, safety equipment use, and whether they sustained injuries.
- Collision details — Factors such as the manner of collision, point of impact, road conditions, light conditions, and weather.
- Narrative and diagram — Provides an officer’s summary of the accident and a diagram showing the vehicles’ positions and movements.
How Can an Accident Report Help My Car Accident Claim?
A police accident report can be vital evidence in your car accident claim. This report provides a neutral account of how the incident occurred, which can strengthen your case by establishing key facts that may be in dispute.
For example, the report documents the accident’s date, time, and location, which are essential details when filing an insurance claim. It also includes the officer’s observations about road conditions, weather, and potential traffic violations, which can point to negligence by the other driver.
An accident report can support your personal injury claim in other ways. For instance, suppose the officer issued citations or noted specific driver behaviors, such as speeding or failure to yield. These notes can directly support your claim that the other driver (or another party) caused the collision.
Witness information in the report can be another valuable resource, reinforce your account of what happened, and counter any conflicting narratives. If an eyewitness saw the other driver looking at their phone or driving aggressively, that witness’ statement could serve as strong evidence of negligence. Contact our Atlanta motor vehicle accident lawyer today.
How to Get Your Accident Report Through BuyCrash.com
You can get your Georgia police accident report in a few different ways. The easiest way is to visit BuyCrash.com. It is a public resource that compiles crash reports from multiple states. From the home page, simply select Georgia from the list of states.
If you know the agency that responded to the crash, you can select it from the list of available jurisdictions. Otherwise, you can choose “All GA Agencies,” which tells the system to look for reports from all available law enforcement agencies in Georgia.
Next, you must provide your last name and the crash date. You will also need to provide at least one of these pieces of information:
- Your driver’s license number
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for your car involved in the crash
- Crash report number or incident report number (if the responding officer provided you with it).
Once you supply the necessary information, the system will search for your specific report. If your report is in the database, you can request a copy. You will need to pay a $13 fee. After providing your billing information and a valid email address, BuyCrash.com will send the completed report directly to you.
How To Get a Copy of Your Accident Report Through the Georgia DOT Website
The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) does not provide crash reports online. However, you can find a copy of the record request form you need to request your crash report if you do not want to use BuyCrash.com.
Please provide as much information as possible when you mail your request, including whether you meet the requirements to obtain the report. (You have the right to a crash report if you were one of the drivers involved in the collision.) Mail your complete form, along with a $5 cashier’s check or money order ($7 for certified reports) to:
Georgia Dept. of Transportation
935 United Ave. SE, Bldg 24
Atlanta, GA, 30316
The Georgia DOT will then mail your police accident report to the address you provide on the form.
How To Get Your Accident Report Through the Georgia Department of Public Safety
Finally, you can request a crash report from the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) if the Georgia State Patrol investigated the crash. You will find the Open Records Request Form on the DPS website. Include as much information as possible with your request form so DPS officials can quickly find your police accident report. Send your completed request form, along with a $5 cashier’s check or money order, to:
Georgia Department of Public Safety
P.O. Box 1456
Attention: Open Records Unit
Atlanta, GA 30371
Contact a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer
While you can request a crash report after an accident, it is much easier to let a Georgia car accident lawyer handle the request. With more than 50 years of combined legal experience, Bayuk Pratt understands the nuances of crash reports and how to use them effectively to support car accident claims. We have recovered more than $300 million for our clients. You can trust us to fight aggressively for maximum compensation for you. Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation.
