What Is In My Missouri Accident Report?
Have you been involved in a car accident in the state of Missouri? Were you injured or was your property damaged? Do you plan to claim insurance benefits? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’ll want to secure a copy of your official Missouri traffic crash report. This is the document where the officer who was called to the scene of the crash will record all of the facts. The information in your report can be very helpful to you if you plan to claim insurance benefits after a car accident.
Your Missouri Crash Report Explained
Regardless of how familiar you are with the Missouri traffic crash report, there are a few things to keep in mind as you navigate the layout of the report. The document is made up of ten sections, divided amongst five pages.
On the first page of the report, you’ll find five sections. At the top of the page, the officer will record all of the crash’s general information, including:
- Time, date, and location of the crash
- Crash type
- Any injuries or fatalities
- Reporting agency’s information
In the next section, the officer will take note of the conditions at the time of the accident. This includes details about the light, road, weather, and traffic conditions. Below this is a section where the officer will list any non-vehicular property damage, as well as contact information for the property’s owner.
Below is the section where the officer will include details from eyewitnesses. Their names, addresses, and phone numbers will be listed here. The final section on the first page includes any pedestrian information, including their contact details and injury status.
The second page of the report is where the officer will draw a diagram. This is so that they can visually display the events of the accident.
For each vehicle, or unit, involved in the accident, there is a copy of page three. Typically, there are two copies, as many accidents involve two vehicles, although for multiple vehicle accidents, there are several copies of this page.
Although this entire page is dedicated to Section 7, there are several subsections on this page. Page three is where the officer will include details about:
- Driver’s contact information
- Driver’s injuries
- Driver’s insurance information
- Vehicle information (make, model, year, color, VIN, body type)
- Vehicle damage
- Accident’s sequence of events
- Occupants’ information (injury status, names, contact information)
- Vehicle defects
- Driver errors
- Whether or not the crash involved a commercial vehicle
The last page of the report is divided into three sections. At the top of the page is a guide for all of the codes the officer has used throughout the report to record details about the accident. In the middle of the page, the officer will include a written narrative of the accident, including all of the details and the order in which the events occured. If the officer needs more space to write this description, a sixth page will be included.
At the bottom of the page, the officer will include the reporting agency’s information and their own identification number.
Common Questions About the Missouri Traffic Crash Report
Because you are required by state law to report any accident which results in death, injury, or property damage of an apparent extent of $750 or more, you could face fines, license suspension, or even jail time for failing to report a crash.
To search for your report, you’ll need to provide the driver’s name, as well as the time, date, and location of the accident.
Car crashes can be stressful, but recovering your crash report doesn’t have to be. We’re here to provide you with access to a FREE copy of your official Missouri crash report today! Just fill out our simple 2-minute questionnaire to begin.
