Missouri Accident Report: How to Look Up and File Your Crash Report

The crash report or accident report is a document that has been completed by a Missouri governmental agency. It contains the specific details of your traffic accident. This report, commonly known as the accident report, includes the date of your crash, where it occurred and lists all the people who were involved in the crash. It also notes all those who suffered injuries in the crash and a written narrative from the investigating officer, which describes how the incident unfolded in addition to the officer’s own observations and insights.

You can get a copy of your crash report through the police department or law enforcement agency that responded to your accident. These reports, which can help substantiate your accident claim, are available in person at the agency or online at portals such as MoCrash.

This article will help you understand the importance of these reports and their role in Missouri accident cases. We’ll give you step-by-step instructions below on how to find your copy of the report, who can legally access these reports, common mistakes to avoid and whom to contact to get help if a report is inaccurate or incomplete.

What is a Missouri Accident Report?

A Missouri accident report is an official document created by an officer who responds to the scene of a crash. This report has important details including the facts and circumstances of the crash. The officer with the responding agency — which could be a local police department, a large metro department, sheriff’s office or the Missouri State Highway Patrol — usually prepares this report.

This report is the principal written record of your crash, which is why it is an important document. Insurance companies use it to evaluate claims and determine who is at fault for an accident. Personal injury attorneys also use it as one of several tools to strengthen their clients’ claim for damages. Courts may refer to it as well when, for example, they hear contradictory accounts of an incident. This does not mean that an accident report automatically or unequivocally determines who is at fault for a crash. However, as Missouri auto accident attorneys, we have seen multiple instances where a crash report strongly influenced how fault and liability were established in the auto accident case.

A Missouri crash report typically includes the following details:

• Names, addresses and other details about drivers and passengers
• Vehicle damage information
• A diagram of the crash scene including the position of vehicles
• Eyewitness statements
• Factors that caused or contributed to the crash such as speeding, impairment, distractions, etc.
• Roadway and weather conditions
• The officer’s description of the crash site and their observations

How to Find Your Missouri Accident Report

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The first step is to find out which law enforcement agency responded to your auto accident and started the investigation. Once you identify the right department, you know where to go to find your report.
2. Look in the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s (MSHP) system if your accident occurred on a state highway. You can do this by requesting a report through their crash report system.
3. Search the MoCrash system for any crashes investigated by the MSHP. You can look up the record and purchase it online.
4. If your accident occurred within the boundaries of a city, you can contact the local police department. You can get these records online or in person through the agency’s records department.
5. If the accident occurred within St. Louis city limits, you can request the report from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s records section.
6. If your crash occurred in Kansas City, the Kansas City Police Department will be able to provide you the record online or through its records department.
7. You will likely be required to pay a fee and wait a few days to two weeks, depending on the particular agency’s processing times.

Documents You Need to Access a Report

• Report number
• Date of the crash
• Location of the accident
• Names of drivers and/or the parties involved
• Valid photo identification such as a driver’s license, which is often required for restricted or reports involving injuries

How to File an Accident Report in Missouri

Your accident report is automatically filed when a police officer or highway patrol officer responds to the scene of your crash. The officer who investigates the accident scene is the one responsible for preparing and filing the official accident report. However, in some cases, you may be required to file your own report. This can happen when the police don’t come to investigate or take a report. But, you should file it anyway, because you need this documentation for insurance purposes.

There are a few basic steps you can take when it comes to filing an accident report. If police do respond to the scene of the crash, make sure you get the report number from the responding officer before you leave the scene. If police do not respond, be sure to complete and submit a Missouri Motor Vehicle Accident report to the MSHP. Your accident report will then become part of the official record.

When Should You Report a Crash (Missouri Legal Requirements)

Missouri law requires a crash report when:

• Someone is injured or dies
• There is more than $500 in property damage
• If law enforcement does not respond or investigate the crash
• If you have been involved in a collision with an uninsured driver

Steps to lookup your Missouri Accident Report by City or Agency

In Missouri, you can get crash reports, which are kept with the law enforcement agency that responded to and investigated the incident. Knowing which department responded to your incident will help you locate your report quicker.

• Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash Reports

Required details: Date of crash, county, driver name and report number

Cost: $6 fee for a basic motor vehicle crash report

Processing time: Typically, a week to 10 days after the crash

How to access: MSHP’s crash reporting system or MoCrash

• Louis Accident Reports (SLMPD)

These incidents are handled by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Required information: Accident date, location, parties involved and report number.

Cost: Typically, under $5, but varies by request.

Processing time: Usually 5-10 business days

Access: Through the department’s records division – online or in person.

• Kansas City Accident Reports (KCPD)

The Kansas City Police Department handles traffic accident cases within city limits.

Required details: Report number, name and date of the incident

Cost: Typically, $9 per report.

Processing time: 7-14 days after the incident.

Access: The reports are available for purchase online through BuyCrash

• County Sheriff Crash Portals

Traffic accidents that occur outside city limits are typically investigated by county sheriffs.

Required information: Date, location and parties involved.

Cost: May vary from county to county.

Processing time: One to two weeks after the incident.

Access: Online or in person

For example, in Lincoln County, you could either send a written request with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $7.50 draft for processing to the county Sheriff’s Office. You could also go in to their office during normal business hours and request a copy there.

Need Help After a Missouri Accident? Understanding Your Report and Protecting Your Rights

As discussed in this article, your accident report can have a significant impact on your Missouri auto accident claim. Insurance companies depend on these reports to determine fault and how to provide coverage and compensation. This is why the report’s accuracy bears a huge consequence. Missouri also has strict timelines for reporting accidents and submitting claims. Missing these deadlines or not fixing inaccuracies in a report in time can seriously hurt your case. Please remember that even errors/mistakes on the report that seem inconsequential can be used against you by the other party’s lawyers, insurance companies, etc.

Our Missouri personal injury law firm helps auto accident victims obtain accident reports from the appropriate agencies. We will assist you with interpreting crash reports, fixing inaccuracies, gathering evidence to substantiate your claim and negotiate with insurance companies. You deserve to receive full compensation for the injuries, damages and losses you have suffered. You do not have to go through the process on your own. Call us for a free consultation to get our experienced attorneys on your side early on in the process.