What Is In My Washington Accident Report?
What To Know About Your Washington Accident Report
Whether it’s a minor accident or a severe crash, if you are involved in an automobile accident in Washington State, it is important that a law enforcement officer files an official accident report. These reports contain important details regarding the accident itself and the circumstances surrounding the crash. A copy of your report can be a valuable resource if you have suffered injuries or property damage in an accident and wish to file a lawsuit or claim insurance benefits.
Your Washington Crash Report Explained
It can be tricky to understand the many parts of a Washington traffic accident report, particularly if you have never dealt with one before. Parts A and B (or pages one and two) are broken into several sections that contain specific details about the nature of your accident.
Part A
The first part of a Washington accident report consists of three sections. The top section describes whether or not the accident took place on a roadway, the type of accident (single-vehicle, multiple-vehicle, parked car, pedestrian, etc.), and the date and time of the accident.
The middle section, or Unit One, contains all of the information for the first vehicle involved in the accident. These details include the driver’s contact and license information, the vehicle type, what kind of damage it suffered, what kind of injuries occupants suffered, license plate numbers, and whether or not seatbelts were used.
The final section of Part A, or Unit Two, contains the same details, but for the second vehicle involved in the accident. If more than two vehicles were involved, subsequent units will be included to account for their details, as well.
Part B
This second page, or Part B, will include the names and contact information for any passengers and witnesses to the accident. There will also be a diagram to indicate what visually occurred and a narrative from each witness or passenger to give a written account of the events of the accident.
Common Questions About the Washington Crash Report
Although you could file your own report, attorneys and insurance adjusters will often request a report filed by a law enforcement officer. This is because an officer will be able to give a more neutral and unbiased account of the details of the accident.
In Washington State, you are required by law to file accident reports for any collision which results in injury, death, or at least $700 of property damage. If you should fail to file a report for any accident that meets these conditions, you can be subject to legal consequences.
In the state of Washington, you will need to be able to provide the following details to search for an accident report:
- Date and time of the accident
- County in which the accident occured
- Driver’s name
Law enforcement officials can be very helpful after an automobile accident, as they can take note of all of the details of the crash, provide help to anyone who may be injured, and file an official traffic accident report. These reports can prove very useful to any future lawsuits or insurance claims you plan to file in response to an automobile accident.
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