How to read a police accident report: sections and codes

The manuals are not the same age: the Alabama manual is from 2011 (rev. 02-16-2011) and the South Carolina manual from 2012 (Rev. 8/2012), while Oklahoma's is Revision 08-2025. Forms and code lists may have changed since the older two were published, so treat their codes as a guide and check the current form.

"Police report," "accident report," "crash report" and "collision report" are the same document in everyday use; the states' official names are above. Sample forms are blank state forms, because every filled-in report carries people's names and license numbers.

Alabama's statute tells the state to design the form to include "the location of the accident, probable cause, injuries to persons, property damage, deaths of persons, the registration of vehicles involved including license numbers, the name, address, and driver's license number of the operator," highway design and maintenance, and witness names [6].

Sources: Alabama manual 2.4.10 [1], Oklahoma manual data sections 12-13 [2], South Carolina manual [3]. Tennessee's TITAN form has an Injury field; its code list is in the state's TITAN manual, so ask the agency or read that manual for the codes.

South Carolina defines the levels in its manual: an incapacitating injury "prevents the injured person from walking, driving or normally continuing the activities he was capable of performing before the injury occurred," a non-incapacitating evident injury "is evident to observers at the scene," and a possible injury is "any injury reported or claimed which is not" one of those [3]. Alabama's person-level codes include "4 Not visible but complains of pain" and say incapacitating "means that the victim must be carried or otherwise helped from the scene." [1] The injury code is the officer's assessment at the scene, not a medical diagnosis.

Fatalities: Alabama's manual says a person who dies of crash injuries within thirty days is counted as a traffic fatality and the report is updated [1].

• Alabama. For the primary contributing circumstance the officer enters "the contributing circumstance that in your opinion most likely precipitated the crash (i.e., if this contributing circumstance had not happened, the crash would not have occurred)." [1] The code groups include general causes, specific driver actions, failed to yield right-of-way, inattentive or distracted, and no improper driving action.
• Not an assignment of fault. Alabama's manual makes the same point about the vehicle the officer identifies as the starting point of the crash: "The identification of the primary contributing vehicle is not an assignment of fault." [1]
• South Carolina. Block (42), "Contributed to collision," is a yes or no the officer circles; if the officer cannot tell, the instruction is to circle NO [3].
• Oklahoma. The driver fields are data sections 102 and 103, "Contributing Factor 1" and "Contributing Factor 2," each a drop-down menu. The manual adds: "Although DUI is a contributing factor to a collision, a moving violation is typically also a factor in DUI collisions and should also be included as a Contributing Factor." [2]
• Tennessee. The form lists first, second and third "Collision Factor" fields; the code list is not public [4].

Oklahoma's report has an "Investigation Complete" item: "An incomplete investigation should not be indicated unless the investigating officer expects further information to be added to the crash in the near future. A Revised Report is REQUIRED by the investigating officer if investigation is indicated incomplete." [2] If you got your report early, check this box and request an updated copy later; see how to get a police report.

• Get your report: Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina
• Crash report finder