If you’re looking for accident reports in your state, you’ve come to the right place. Here you will get to know how to find these helpful documents online and tell you about other valuable resources that can help with your research.
Start with an Online Search
If you were in an accident in Tennessee, the quickest way to get Tennessee accident reports is through an online search. If you’re looking for a police report, start by finding your state or local government’s website on Google. Then type in “accident report” and the name of your city in quotation marks into the search bar.
Alternatively, you can use a third-party site like AccidentReports.com to find out more about where to purchase accident reports online and how much they cost. The best part is that they also provide links to each state’s website where these records are stored, so there’s no guesswork involved.
Once you’ve found your state’s website, click on “Traffic Records” or something similar at the top of their page (or bottom, depending on whether they’re listed alphabetically). Once there, scroll down until you find information about obtaining an accident report (it should say “Motor Vehicle Accident Reports”). This information will tell how much money per copy it costs and give specifics about the ordering procedure etc.
Connect with the Police Department
Once you’ve determined where your state police department is and what they call their accident reports, the next step is to contact them. This can be done by phone or email, depending on whether your state has a dedicated website for getting them.
The first thing to consider when contacting the police department is what information you need from them. Suppose you’re looking up an accident report for yourself or another person and want it in person. In that case, you’ll want to make an appointment at least 24 hours in advance so that someone from the department can meet with you and answer any questions or concerns as quickly as possible.
If all else fails or time isn’t an issue, send a formal inquiry via email. You will often get results just as quickly when dealing with local law enforcement agencies—especially if there’s no one available who could help guide your search through voice calls or personal visits right now anyways.
By Mail, Phone, Or in Person
To look up accident reports in person, you can go to the police station. You may also be able to get a copy of the report by mail or by phone.
By Mail
To request an accident report, write a letter (on paper) addressed to your state’s agency that handles these requests and ask for a copy of your accident report. Include details about yourself and what happened in the accident—for example, when and where. Be sure to include a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage for mailing back copies of your request and payment if required (check with the agency handling such requests). Keep track of all correspondence about this request so that you have relevant records if needed later on down the line; this is especially important because sometimes things can get lost in transit.
By Phone
Call your state’s agency that handles these requests directly at the number listed above under Contact Info. Be sure not to leave personal information over voicemail unless explicitly instructed otherwise. If possible, try calling during off hours (8 am – 5 pm EST), where staffing levels are usually lower than usual. so there might be fewer hold times involved before speaking with someone who can help immediately; otherwise, try leaving multiple messages if necessary until someone gets back with you quickly enough for whatever needs doing here, like getting access codes, etc.”
The other option is finding a local newspaper office and asking them if they have copies of articles on accidents that took place around the time of your accident. This may take some digging and investigative work, but it’s certainly worth trying if there’s no other way.
Conclusion
Accident reports are essential and can be helpful for many reasons. When looking up an accident report, knowing what information will be available and where to find it is necessary. We hope this article helped answer some questions about looking up a car accident report online or in person, depending on where you live.
