What Is In My Pennsylvania Accident Report?
If you are involved in a car accident in the state of Pennsylvania and you call a local law enforcement officer to the scene, they will file an official Pennsylvania accident report. This is a document which includes all the pertinent information surrounding your accident, including any injuries and property damages sustained, both drivers’ information, and any external factors connected to the accident.
As you might imagine, this document can be incredibly valuable to you if you should claim insurance benefits or file a lawsuit. Not only is it important for you to secure a copy of your report, but it’s also important for you to understand how to read this document.
Your Pennsylvania Crash Report Explained
The first page of the report is made up of nine blocks, or sections. The law enforcement officer who files your report will include all of the following details in these blocks:
- Investigating officer’s information
- Crash data (including time, date, and location of the accident)
- Location type
- Principal road
- Intersecting road
- Distance from a landmark
- GPS coordinates
- Any Traffic Control Devices involved
- Any nearby lane closures
Common Questions About the Pennsylvania Traffic Crash Report
Although you can file your own crash report, accident reports filed by law enforcement officers tend to hold more weight with attorneys and insurance adjusters, as they are less biased and give a clearer account of the details of the accident.
In the state of Pennsylvania, you may be subject to fines, jail time, or license suspension for failing to report an accident within five days of the crash.
To search for your report, you will need to provide the driver’s name and the date, time, and location of the crash.
