April 17, 2020
You have a right to receive your crash report after a traffic incident in Florida. State law dictates that officers must submit a report within ten days of a crash and that the report is available to select persons, including those involved.
Understanding Florida law and how it relates to crash reports can help you evaluate your options and plan a response after an accident.
What is in my crash report
Crash reports, at a minimum, must include the names and addresses of all parties involved — including passengers and witnesses, details about the vehicles, the time and location of the crash, the names of the insurance companies and the attending officer’s name and badge number. Crash reports may also include narratives from drivers or witnesses, information about items found in the cars, results of drug or alcohol tests and other details.
Who can see my report
Crash reports are confidential for 60 days after an accident; however, certain parties can access a report with valid identification. The parties involved, legal and insurance representatives and certain news agencies are among those with permission to receive a copy. It is a third-degree felony to obtain or attempt to obtain a crash report containing confidential personal information unlawfully.
How can I get a copy
In Florida, you can buy a crash report for a nominal fee online or via a mailed request. Using the online portal requires an additional convenience fee, but you can view it immediately. If you make a request by mail, you will need to provide a sworn statement of your right to receive a copy, and it will subsequently take up to 4-6 weeks to get the report.
If something in your report is not accurate, contact the attending officer to see if you can get it amended.