Evidence After a Car Crash: Police Reports and Dashcam Video

How Crash Reports and Dashcam Video Shape an Auto Accident Claim

Evidence from a car crash starts to disappear within hours. Vehicles get towed and repaired, video gets recorded over and witnesses become hard to reach. A car accident attorney usually looks first at the police report and any photos or video, then the data stored in the vehicles. Here is how each source fits into a claim.

The police report

Officers who respond to a crash usually prepare a crash report, often called a police report. It typically lists the drivers and vehicles involved, with insurance details for each, and it often includes a diagram, a short narrative and any citations. In many states, drivers must also report crashes involving injury, death or property damage above a set dollar amount. Copies are usually available from the agency that responded, whether that is a city police department, a sheriff's office or the state highway patrol, often for a small fee.

Insurers rely heavily on the crash report, but it is not the final word on fault. Rules on using an officer's opinions at trial vary by state. When a report has a factual error, such as a wrong plate number, the agency may accept a request to correct or supplement it. An auto accident attorney will compare the report with the photos and statements.

Dashcam video and photographs

Dashcam footage can capture the seconds before a crash better than a witness can. Save the original file with its date and time stamp, rather than a phone recording of the screen, and make a backup copy. Traffic cameras and nearby businesses may also have recorded the crash, but many systems overwrite footage within days or weeks. Scene photos can show where the vehicles stopped and the debris and skid marks around them, and photos of injuries taken over several weeks can show how they changed.

What the vehicle itself recorded

Many passenger vehicles have an event data recorder (EDR). NHTSA describes https://rylanjguq502.capitaljays.com/posts/the-timeline-of-a-car-accident-claim an EDR as a device that records technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period, seconds rather than minutes, around the time of a crash. Depending on the vehicle, it may record speed and braking, along with seat belt use. NHTSA's rule in 49 CFR Part 563 sets requirements for EDRs in light vehicles that have them. Under the Driver Privacy Act of 2015, EDR data generally belongs to the vehicle owner or lessee, and others may access it only in limited situations, such as with the owner's consent or a court order.

EDR data can be lost if the car is repaired or crushed. Total loss vehicles are often moved to salvage auctions within weeks, so an automobile accident attorney may send a preservation letter asking that the vehicle be held until the data can be downloaded.

Witnesses and medical records

Witnesses with no stake in the claim often carry weight. Their names and phone numbers should be collected at the scene if it is safe to do so. Medical records link the injuries to the crash, and insurers often point to gaps in treatment to dispute a claim. Keeping the claim number in one place, with a log of each call to the adjuster, makes later questions easier to answer. A short journal of pain levels and missed work, written while the details are fresh, can also help. This is general information rather than legal advice, and it does not predict the result of any claim.