How to Read a Virginia Car Accident Police Report

After a crash in Hampton Roads, one of the most important documents an injured person can obtain is the official police report. Most people know they should get a copy — but fewer know how to read one, what each section means, and how the information in it can affect a personal injury claim.

What a Virginia Crash Report Contains

When law enforcement responds to a crash in Virginia, the investigating officer completes a crash report that is typically filed with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The report contains several categories of information, each of which can be relevant to a subsequent insurance claim or lawsuit.

The basic identifying information section records the date, time, and location of the crash, along with the names, addresses, license numbers, and insurance information of the drivers involved. The vehicle section documents the make, model, and condition of each vehicle. A diagram or narrative description of the crash typically shows how the vehicles were positioned and how the investigating officer believes the collision occurred.

The report may also identify citations issued in connection with the crash. A citation can provide useful information about what the investigating officer observed or concluded during the investigation, but it does not by itself determine civil liability. Under Virginia Code § 46.2-379, an investigating officer’s crash report generally cannot be used as evidence in a civil or criminal trial arising from the accident. Liability in a personal injury case must therefore be evaluated based on the admissible evidence and the circumstances surrounding the collision.

The Codes and Checkboxes

Virginia crash reports use standardized codes and checkbox fields to capture information quickly. These include codes for the manner of the collision, such as rear-end, angle, head-on, or sideswipe, as well as contributing factors, road conditions, lighting conditions, and information about the drivers involved. Understanding what these codes mean and whether they accurately reflect the circumstances of the crash can be important when evaluating a claim.

The “contributing circumstances” section may provide insight into the investigating officer’s preliminary assessment of factors associated with the crash. Depending on the report, it may identify issues involving driver behavior, roadway conditions, or other circumstances. These entries do not independently establish civil liability, but they can help identify issues that may warrant further investigation as an injury claim is evaluated.

What a Report Does Not Settle

A police report is a starting point, not a final verdict. Officers arrive after the fact and reconstruct events based on available evidence and statements. Reports can contain errors, omissions, or incomplete assessments, particularly when a scene is complex or when the people involved provide conflicting accounts. Photographs, witness statements, surveillance footage, physical evidence, and other available information may provide additional evidence about how the collision occurred.

Virginia’s contributory negligence rule makes the underlying facts surrounding a crash particularly important. If evidence indicates that an injured person’s own negligence contributed to causing the collision, it may affect the person’s ability to recover compensation. A notation in a police report should therefore be considered alongside photographs, witness accounts, video footage, physical evidence, and other available information rather than treated as a final determination of fault.

How to Obtain a Copy

Police crash reports may be available from the responding law enforcement agency, depending on the agency and applicable procedures. Eligible individuals can also request a complete police crash report from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV permits requests from people including drivers, passengers, injured persons, vehicle or property owners, attorneys, and certain other authorized representatives. The current DMV fee is $8 per crash report. Obtaining the report and reviewing it alongside other available evidence can help an injured person better understand the circumstances documented after the crash.

Having the report in hand early and reviewing it carefully can be an important step in evaluating a complete auto accident claim.

If you were injured in a crash anywhere in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, or across Hampton Roads, Breit Law is here to help. With more than 47 years of trial experience, William Breit has fought for injured Virginians when the facts of a crash are in dispute. Contact us today.

Map of the Hampton Roads region in Virginia, where car accident police reports may provide important information about the circumstances documented after a crash.