How to Get a Police Report After a Car Accident in Arkansas

After a crash investigation, the responding law enforcement officer prepares official documentation describing what was observed and recorded at the scene.

This document is known as a police report and becomes part of the official record maintained by the investigating agency.

A police report is an important document in a personal injury claim.

A police report is an official document prepared by the responding law enforcement officer at the scene of a car accident.

The official report provides a detailed record of the accident or incident from a neutral third-party perspective.

What Information Is Included in a Police Report?

A police report typically organizes the information recorded during the investigation into several sections.

These sections document who was involved, where the crash occurred, and what the responding officer observed at the scene.

The report identifies each driver and vehicle involved and records details gathered by the responding police officer or other law enforcement officer.

Many reports also document injury, vehicle damage, and conditions present when the crash occurred.

Police reports commonly include:

• Date, time, and location of the crash
• Driver name and contact details for each person involved
• Vehicle involved information, including visible damage or property damage
• Witness names and contact details collected at the scene
• Scene conditions recorded by the responding officer
• Responding police officer or law enforcement officer name
• Officer’s initial understanding of how drivers and vehicles interacted
• Diagram or image showing vehicle positions at the scene
• Narrative description explaining how the crash occurred

After a motor vehicle crash, drivers may be required to notify law enforcement depending on the seriousness of the accident.

Reporting requirements are set by state law, including Arkansas, and determine when a crash must be formally documented.

State reporting rules establish when an accident must be reported so that authorities can investigate the incident and create an official crash record.

These rules are intended to document serious collisions, identify the people and vehicles involved, and preserve information needed for insurance and legal review.

Accidents That Require Police at the Scene

Some crashes must be reported and investigated at the scene when the incident meets certain legal thresholds.

Ark. Code § 27-53-202 requires drivers to notify law enforcement and remain at the scene until authorities arrive.

Situations that typically trigger this requirement include:

• A crash involving injury to a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or other person
• A collision resulting in death
• An accident causing property damage exceeding $3,000

Drivers are expected to remain at the location of the accident until the responding officer completes the initial review and documents what occurred.

Leaving before the investigation is finished may lead to additional legal consequences.

When a police officer arrives, the officer reviews the crash circumstances, speaks with the drivers involved, and records information about the vehicles, roadway conditions, and visible damage.

The officer then begins documenting the incident for the official report maintained by the responding agency.

What to Do if Police Do Not Come to the Accident?

Minor crashes are sometimes handled without an on-scene investigation, particularly when there are no visible injuries and the damage appears limited.

In these situations, the responsibility to document the incident may shift to the drivers involved.

If the police did not respond to the scene of an accident, you may need to file a self-report through your state’s DMV or local police website.

Self-report systems allow drivers to document basic crash details so the incident can still be recorded in official accident records.

This process helps agencies maintain crash data even when an officer was not dispatched to the location.

Drivers may need to:

• Submit a car accident report through the appropriate state reporting system
• Complete the required accident reporting form

The report usually asks for information about the vehicles involved, the location of the collision, and the events leading up to the crash.

This documentation may later be referenced when insurance companies review the accident or when additional records are requested.

Obtaining a police report in Arkansas usually requires requesting the report from the law enforcement agency that investigated the crash.

When officers respond to a vehicle collision, the responding officer prepares the official accident report documenting the scene, vehicles involved, and observations collected during the investigation.

In Arkansas, the investigating agency may be the Arkansas State Police, a city police department, or a county sheriff’s office, depending on where the crash occurred.

The report is generally maintained by the same department responsible for the investigation.

Most agencies keep these records in a records division that processes requests for crash reports.

If the investigating agency is unclear, contacting the police department where the accident occurred can help identify the correct agency responsible for the crash report.

Requesting a Police Report From the Investigating Agency

The most direct way to obtain a car accident report after a car accident is through the investigating agency that responded to the accident.

When a vehicle crash occurs, the responding officer prepares the official report and files it with the department responsible for the investigation.

In Arkansas, the investigating agency may be the Arkansas State Police, a municipal police department, or a county sheriff’s office, depending on where the accident happened.

The report is usually stored by the same law enforcement department that investigated the crash.

Most departments maintain a records division that processes report requests and provides copies of accident documentation.

Depending on the agency, individuals may submit a request:

• Online through the department’s records system
• In person at the department’s records office
• By mail using a written request form

Before submitting the request, agencies usually require identifying details that allow staff to locate the correct crash report in their records database.

Getting a Police Report Online

You can request a crash report online in many states once the report has been entered into the law enforcement agency’s records system.

Some agencies may require identity verification, a signed statement, or additional documentation before releasing the report.

Online portals are widely used by law enforcement agencies to provide access to crash reports.

In Arkansas, reports investigated by state troopers can be obtained through the Arkansas State Police Crash Report Online Purchase System.

To locate a crash report online, users typically enter identifying information into the search system.

The search fields may include:

• Crash report number
• Driver name
• Date of the crash
• Driver’s license number

Once the report is located, users are directed to a purchase page where the request can be completed.

Online systems generally require payment before the report becomes available for download, and the report is usually provided in PDF format.

Getting a Police Report by Mail or In Person

To request a report by mail, individuals usually complete a request form provided by the investigating agency.

The form asks for identifying details such as the crash date, location, driver names, and the report number if available so the department can locate the correct crash record.

A mail request generally requires the following:

• A completed request form with accident details
• A valid signature confirming the request
• Payment for the report, usually by check or money order
• A return mailing address for delivery of the crash report

Mail requests for crash reports investigated by the Arkansas State Police can be sent to the Crash Records Section at:

Arkansas State PoliceCrash Records Section1 State Police Plaza DriveLittle Rock, AR 72209

This option is commonly used when the report is not available through an online system or when someone prefers to obtain the document directly from the department’s records office.

When requesting a crash report, the agency must be able to identify the exact incident in its records system.

Reports are usually located using the report number or by matching the crash date, location, and the names of the drivers involved.

If the report number is not available, providing multiple identifying details helps the records division locate the correct crash record.

Information that may be required when requesting a crash report includes:

• Report number or case number
• Date and location of the accident
• Names of the drivers involved
• Name of the investigating agency
• Responding officer name, if known
• Driver’s license number connected to the driver
• Vehicle information related to the crash

A crash report prepared after a traffic accident contains information recorded by the responding police officer at the scene.

These reports often include driver details, vehicle information, and other identifying information, so agencies control how the report is released.

Crash reports are not treated as fully public records.

You must verify you are a “party of interest” to obtain an accident report, which may include being a driver, passenger, vehicle owner, or legal representative.

Accident reports are also subject to federal privacy protections.

The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) restricts the disclosure of personal information from motor vehicle records without the individual’s consent.

Access to the report is generally limited to people who were directly involved in the crash or who have a legal or insurance interest in the record.

A crash report may be released to:

• The driver involved in the accident
• The registered owner of a vehicle involved in the collision
• A person who suffered injury or property damage in the crash
• An attorney or insurance representative acting on behalf of someone involved

Individuals or organizations that do not meet the required criteria may only receive a redacted copy of the crash report.

Police reports are created soon after a crash, often while officers are collecting information from several drivers and witnesses at the scene.

Because of the fast pace of an accident investigation, mistakes can sometimes appear in the official accident record.

If you believe there are errors in the report, you can request an amendment or submit a supplemental statement.

Many corrections involve factual information that can be verified through documents or witness statements.

A department may review the report, update the information, or attach additional documentation explaining the corrected details.

In many cases, that simply may involve adding your statement to the accident report.

Common Errors in Accident Reports

Crash reports can sometimes contain mistakes depending on what information was gathered at the scene and how those details were later entered into the final report.

The most common problems involve transcription errors, missing information, and factual errors recorded in the document.

These issues can affect how the crash is documented and how the report is later reviewed by insurers, investigators, or others examining the accident record.

Several types of issues appear more frequently in accident reports and are often the source of correction requests, including:

• Incorrect driver identification or personal information
• Inaccurate vehicle description or registration details
• Errors in crash location or direction of travel
• Statements recorded differently from what was originally reported
• Missing details such as witness information, insurance data, or reported injuries

Steps to Request a Correction from the Investigating Agency

Police reports sometimes contain factual mistakes that were not verified during the investigation or were recorded incorrectly when the report was prepared.

When this occurs, individuals involved in the crash may ask the investigating agency to review the information and determine whether additional documentation should be placed in the crash record.

If you believe there are errors in the report, you can request an amendment or submit a supplemental statement. In many cases, that simply may involve adding your statement to the accident report.

The correction request generally involves the following steps.

1. Contact the Investigating Agency: Contact the law enforcement department that prepared the report and ask about its procedure for correction requests. Most agencies route these requests through the records division, which can explain whether the officer must review the issue or whether an amendment, addendum, or supplemental report may be appropriate.
2. Review the report and note the error: Carefully review the report and note the exact factual mistake that appears in the document. Identifying the specific entry helps the agency locate the issue in the crash record before considering a correction request.
3. Submit a written correction request: Submit a written explanation describing the incorrect information and include documentation that supports the correct details. Supporting materials may include photographs, insurance documents, witness statements, or other records related to the crash.
4. Provide verification if required: Some agencies may request a signed statement or sworn affidavit confirming the facts you are asking them to review. This documentation may be used when the department evaluates whether a correction or addendum should be added to the report.
5. Request a supplemental entry if the report cannot be changed: If the officer was unable to verify certain details during the investigation, you may ask that your statement be included as a supplemental report or addendum to the crash record. In many cases, that simply may involve adding your statement to the accident report.

After a motor vehicle collision, the police report often becomes one of the first documents reviewed when an insurance claim or injury case is evaluated.

A police report can help substantiate details about your accident or injury by documenting the drivers involved, the location of the vehicle crash, and the visible damage to surrounding property.

Insurance companies rely on police reports to verify the details of the accident.

The document creates an official record describing what officers observed and what participants reported immediately after the crash.

Crash reports often assist insurance and legal claims by providing:

• Driver insurance information used for claim filing
• Witness names and contact information for follow-up statements
• A police report can provide witness information and establish a timeline of events
• Scene observations documenting vehicle damage and crash conditions

These details help investigators evaluate responsibility for the crash and review the extent of injury suffered by each person involved.

In serious collisions, the report can help identify witnesses to the crash, and the report can help in a wrongful death claim following a car accident, where investigators examine how the collision resulted in death.

After a car accident, the crash report often becomes one of the first documents reviewed when questions arise about how the incident occurred.

The information recorded by the officer can shape how an insurance claim or injury case is later examined.

Understanding what the report includes, and how it may affect your claim, is not always straightforward.

Legal guidance can help clarify the details and determine whether additional records or evidence should be considered.

Reach out to Keith Law Group to speak with an attorney and receive a free case evaluation to discuss your accident and any questions you may have.