What Is a Florida Crash Report & Why Do You Need One
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) maintains critical accident records, which serve multiple important purposes. Your Florida crash report becomes the foundation for your insurance claim, providing the official details your insurer needs to process compensation for your vehicle damage and any injuries. Without it, you might struggle to receive fair treatment.
Beyond insurance, these reports often determine who bears responsibility for the accident. The responding officer’s assessment of fault can significantly impact both insurance outcomes and any legal proceedings that follow. If your case ends up in court, having this objective third-party documentation is invaluable.
These reports also help make Florida’s roads safer. Each documented crash contributes to statewide safety statistics that identify dangerous intersections and road segments. And for the hit-and-run crashes recorded, these reports provide crucial information for investigations and help victims recover damages.
Key Details Found in a Florida Crash Report
When you open your Florida crash report, you’ll find a wealth of information carefully documented across several pages. Understanding these details helps you make the most of this important document.
- The event page captures the scene’s essentials—when and where the crash happened (including GPS coordinates), road and weather conditions, and traffic signals or signs present. This section also notes factors that may have contributed to the accident, creating a complete picture of the circumstances.
- Your report thoroughly documents every vehicle involved, including make, model, year, and color. It records VINs, license plate information, and describes the damage location and severity. The officer even estimates each vehicle’s speed at impact and notes the direction each was traveling.
- Florida crash reports don’t just document vehicles—they capture detailed information about people, too. You’ll find names, addresses, and contact details for all drivers, along with their license and insurance information. The report indicates injury severity for everyone involved, notes whether safety equipment like seat belts was used, and includes details about any passengers.
- Perhaps most valuable is the narrative and diagram section, where the officer provides a written description of the crash alongside a visual representation showing vehicle positions, movements, the point of impact, and final resting places. These details often prove crucial when determining fault.
Types of Florida Crash Reports
Florida uses two different report formats depending on the severity of the crash:
- Long Form Reports (HSMV 90010) are required for serious situations involving injuries, fatalities, hit-and-run incidents, DUI, commercial vehicles, or significant property damage.
- Short Form Reports typically handle minor crashes with property damage only, usually when damage falls below $500.
Speaking of $500, that’s an important threshold in Florida. State law requires reporting any crash with at least $500 in property damage to law enforcement. This relatively low figure means most accidents require official documentation.
Who Must File & Who Can Access a Florida Crash Report
The responsibility for filing these reports falls on specific individuals. If you’re a driver involved in a crash causing injury, death, or property damage of $500+, you must report it. For serious incidents, this means calling law enforcement to the scene. For minor fender-benders, you might use the Driver Self-Report of Traffic Crash form instead.
When officers respond to a crash, they must complete their investigation and submit the appropriate report to the FLHSMV within 10 days. This deadline ensures timely documentation while details remain fresh.
Florida law takes crash reporting seriously. If your accident involves injury, death, hit-and-run circumstances, DUI, commercial vehicles, or requires a tow truck, you must stay at the scene and call 911. Failing to do so can result in serious penalties.
Your privacy matters after a traumatic event, which is why Florida crash reports remain confidential for the first 60 days after filing. During this period, Section 316.066(2)(a) of Florida Statutes exempts these reports from public disclosure. Only certain parties can access them: those involved in the crash, their attorneys, licensed insurance agents, insurance companies, insurance investigators, victim services programs, and authorized government agencies.
After this 60-day window closes, reports become subject to public records laws under Section 119.07, though certain personal information remains protected under the Driver Privacy Protection Act.
The state takes these privacy protections seriously—unlawfully disclosing or obtaining confidential crash report information constitutes a third-degree felony. This severe penalty underscores how important it is to respect crash victims’ privacy during their recovery.
Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Florida Crash Report
Need your Florida crash report quickly after an accident? Don’t worry—Florida offers several straightforward ways to obtain this crucial document. Let’s walk through each option so you can choose what works best for your situation.
Online Request (Fastest Method)
Getting your crash report online is typically the quickest and most convenient option. The digital process is straightforward and can be done from the comfort of your home.
Start by visiting the official Florida Crash Portal at FloridaCrashPortal.gov and clicking the “Buy a Crash Report” button. You’ll need one piece of identifying information—either the crash report number, the date of the crash along with the name of someone involved, or the date paired with the law enforcement case number.
The standard fee is $10.00 per crash report, plus a one-time $2.00 convenience fee per transaction (not per report). The good news is you can purchase up to 10 reports in a single transaction without additional convenience fees. After payment, you’ll receive an email with a download link—but act quickly, as this link expires after 48 hours.
Pro Tip: While online requests are processed immediately, law enforcement has 10 days to file their report after an accident. If you request too early, you might need to check back later.
In-Person Request
Sometimes there’s no substitute for handling matters face-to-face. For in-person requests, you’ll need to visit the law enforcement agency that investigated your crash. This might be a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) station for state highway accidents, your local police department for crashes within city limits, or the county sheriff’s office for accidents in unincorporated areas.
Bring proper identification to prove you’re entitled to access the report during the 60-day confidentiality period. A driver’s license or state ID, along with proof of your involvement (like your insurance card or vehicle registration), will typically suffice. Attorneys should bring authorization from their clients.
You’ll complete a signed statement form at the agency and pay the $10.00 fee. Payment methods vary by location, so it’s wise to call ahead and confirm what they accept. If the report has been filed, you can often receive your copy immediately.
Pro Tip: A quick phone call to the agency before your visit can save you time. Confirm that your report has been filed, verify their office hours for crash report requests, and check which payment methods they accept.
Mail Request
While it’s the slowest option, requesting by mail remains available for those who prefer traditional correspondence or can’t use the other methods.
To request by mail, prepare a written request that includes a signed statement confirming you’re entitled to access the report. Include the date of the crash, the county where it occurred, names of the involved parties, and your contact information.
Pro Tip: Mail requests should generally be your last resort due to the extended processing time. If possible, opt for online or in-person methods instead.
What If the Crash Report Contains Errors?
Found a mistake in your Florida crash report? It happens more often than you might think. Common errors include incorrect vehicle information, insurance details, misspelled names, or inaccurate descriptions of how the crash occurred.
To address errors, contact the law enforcement agency that filed the report. Provide documentation supporting your requested correction and ask them to file an amended report. Taking this step promptly is important since insurance companies and courts rely on these reports during claims and legal proceedings.
Self-Reporting a Minor Crash
For fender-benders and minor incidents where damage is under $500, no injuries occurred, and law enforcement didn’t respond, you can still create an official record.
Complete the Driver Self Report of Traffic Crash form (available on the FLHSMV website) within 10 days of the accident. Submit it via email to [email protected] or mail it to the FLHSMV address. Always keep a personal copy for your records and insurance purposes.
Even for minor accidents, self-reporting creates an official record that may prove valuable later, especially if unexpected insurance issues arise or if injuries manifest days after the incident.
Contact EC Law Counsel For Help With Your Auto Accident Claim
For accidents involving serious injuries or substantial vehicle damage, navigating the aftermath can be overwhelming. EC Law Counsel can help retrieve and analyze your crash report, ensuring nothing is overlooked. Our background working within the insurance industry provides valuable insight into how adjusters evaluate these reports.
The team at EC Law Counsel understands that every detail in your Florida crash report matters — from the point of impact to the officer’s assessment of fault. Our experience helps translate these technical details into compelling evidence for your claim.
Don’t let confusion about paperwork stand between you and fair compensation. Getting your crash report is the critical first step toward putting your accident behind you and moving forward with confidence.
For more comprehensive guidance on handling auto accidents in Florida, visit our detailed resource on Auto Accident Attorneys in Florida, or contact us today to schedule a consultation.