How to File a Police Report After a York Car Crash

One of the first things you can do after a York car accident is to file a police report. If you have never been in an accident as a driver or a passenger, you may not know how to do this or why it is important, which can cause unnecessary stress, frustration, and confusion.

Do you have to file a police report after a car accident in York, PA?

If you have been involved in a car accident that results in injury, death, or property damage, Pennsylvania requires you to file a police report. According to Pennsylvania Statute C.S.A. Vehicles § 3746, drivers involved in accidents must “by the quickest means of communication give notice to the nearest office of a duly authorized police department.”

It does not matter how minor you think your property damage or injuries are; you should strongly consider alerting authorities and filing a police report right after the accident. This is recommended because you usually cannot tell how serious your vehicle’s damage is or how severe your injuries are immediately after the crash. You may think that you only have a few cuts and scrapes and that your vehicle only has a few dents and scratches.

However, you may later find out that you have a severe concussion or spinal cord injury that requires months of rehabilitation and that your vehicle is irreparable and unsafe to ever drive again. To protect yourself in these situations, you must file a police report as quickly as possible.

How to file a police report after a collision

1. Call 9-1-1 and alert authorities about your collision: If you are physically able to, the first step you should take is to call 9-1-1 and alert authorities about your collision. The 9-1-1 dispatcher will ask you several questions, such as what your name is, whether you have any passengers, where your accident occurred, whether any other drivers are involved, and whether anyone is injured and needs an ambulance.
2. Wait patiently for responding officers to arrive: If your accident is minor and you feel fine, you may want to drive off and continue with your day. However, it is crucial that you stop and wait patiently for the responding officers to arrive. If you do not wait, you could be accused of a hit-and-run regardless of whether you are at fault or not. Therefore, it is essential that you take the time to check on your passengers and get your facts together before the officers arrive.
3. Speak with, answer questions, and provide as much detail as possible about your crash: Once the responding officers arrive at the scene of your accident, they will start assessing the vehicle damage, asking you questions, and talking to other involved parties. They will likely want to know where you were on your way to, whether you were speeding or doing anything illegal before the crash happened, whether you or your passengers were hurt, and more. It is important that you speak, cooperate, and answer any questions asked by the officers. They will be writing down everything you say and everything they see, which will be compiled into a police report. Therefore, you want to be as honest, straightforward, and detailed as possible, but you also do not want to say anything that could be used to place blame on you.
4. Obtain the responding officers’ contact information: Before you or the officers leave the crash site, do not forget to obtain their contact information. This includes their name, police station address, and phone number. Obtaining this information is essential in case you need to add anything to your police report, ensure that the police report is filed, or request a copy of the police report to use as evidence of your crash.

What if I did not file a police report immediately after the crash?

While it is highly recommended that you file a police report immediately after your crash, Pennsylvania gives you up to five days from the crash date to file this report. If you did not file a police report right after the accident, you should do so immediately. If you leave the accident scene without filing a police report, you could lose out on the opportunity to secure eyewitness statements, which could heavily impact the outcome of your case.

The importance of filing a police report

• A police report is proof that you were involved in the specific crash you are referencing.
• A police report can help you prove your injuries and vehicle damage caused by the crash.
• A police report provides names and contact details for witnesses who saw your crash occur.
• A police report can show what type of weather, road defects, or vehicle malfunctions contributed to your accident.
• Police reports help your lawyer or insurance companies understand what happened, when it happened, how it happened, who is liable, and more.
• Police reports can be used to discredit any disputes or disagreements about fault or liability for the accident.
• Police reports provide names and contact information for other drivers and passengers involved.
• A police report ensures that your accident has been investigated by law enforcement, which is an unbiased source.

At KBG Injury Law, our York car accident attorneys know and understand every important step you must take after an accident. If you need help throughout this long process, we are ready to assist you. Please call our office at 717-864-6390 or submit our contact form today to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Gettysburg, Lancaster, York, Harrisburg, and Hanover for your convenience. Do not put your rights in the hands of someone you do not trust when KBG Injury Law has the experience and track record of success you can rely on after a car accident.