[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/tips-for-filing-your-own-police-report\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/tips-for-filing-your-own-police-report\/","headline":"Tips for Filing Your Own Police Report If You\u2019ve Been in an Accident","name":"Tips for Filing Your Own Police Report If You\u2019ve Been in an Accident","description":"You may already be aware that reporting an auto accident should be one of your first steps after the crash. Reporting an accident often involves contacting local police or the Ohio State Highway Patrol. But in some cases, a driver...","datePublished":"2023-02-07","dateModified":"2025-08-11","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/author\/julius\/#Person","name":"Julius Amourgis","url":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/author\/julius\/","identifier":50,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e49a6abb900684fc2323b7043eaceeb537475408ebc3a2cefbbe0ce24506d3b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e49a6abb900684fc2323b7043eaceeb537475408ebc3a2cefbbe0ce24506d3b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Amourgis & Associates Attorneys at Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/amourgisassoc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Logo-header-1.png","url":"https:\/\/amourgisassoc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Logo-header-1.png","width":425,"height":87}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/accident-report-form.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/accident-report-form.jpg","height":500,"width":700},"url":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/tips-for-filing-your-own-police-report\/","about":["Personal Injury"],"wordCount":560,"articleBody":"You may already be aware that reporting an auto accident should be one of your first steps after the crash. Reporting an accident often involves contacting local police or the Ohio State Highway Patrol. But in some cases, a driver must file the report themselves after the accident.To learn more about how to file a police report for your car accident, contact Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at Law for a free consultation.Call the Police ImmediatelyYou should contact the police at the scene immediately following the accident. You can call 911 to report the accident and request emergency medical services if someone has been injured or appears to be in distress. Otherwise, you can contact the local police department or the Ohio State Highway Patrol if the crash occurred on the highway or interstate. The police may send an officer to investigate the scene of the crash and prepare a written accident report.File a Police Report After an AccidentMany police departments will not respond to a report of an auto accident if the crash did not result in any injuries, disabled vehicles, or serious property damage. For more minor \u201cfender-bender\u201d crashes, the drivers involved in the accident may need to file a report themselves after the collision.It can be beneficial to file a report even when it is not required so you can be reimbursed for property damage and medical care. However, it is required that the report be filed within five days if the accident resulted in injury, death, or more than $1,000 in apparent property damage.Each law enforcement agency will have its own accident forms that drivers can complete and submit to the agency. Police departments may allow drivers to submit reports via mail, email, or other electronic methods.If the accident involved an uninsured motorist, you must file a\u00a0BMV 3303 Crash Report\u00a0with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) within six months.Review Your ReportBefore submitting a report to law enforcement or the BMV, you should carefully review the details of your report. All vehicle accident reports should include the following:The location of the accidentThe number of people involved and whether they were motorists, passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians, etc.The time and date of the accidentA description of the damage to the vehicles involvedThe estimated value of the vehicle or property damageThe weather, road, and lighting conditions at the time of the accidentName, phone number, and residential address of all drivers involvedDriver\u2019s license number for all drivers involvedLicense plate number for all drivers involvedA report for an accident involving an uninsured driver should include at least three of the following pieces of information about the uninsured driver:NameAddressDate of birthDriver\u2019s license numberSocial Security numberYou should also review any written description of what occurred in the accident to ensure that it accurately reflects your recollection. Do not guess or exaggerate any details.Get Help from Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at Law for Your Auto Accident CaseContact Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about your legal options after a motor vehicle accident. We can answer your questions about filing a police report after an accident and how having an accident report can make a difference in your case."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Tips for Filing Your Own Police Report If You\u2019ve Been in an Accident","item":"https:\/\/www.amourgis.com\/blog\/tips-for-filing-your-own-police-report\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]