Can Anyone Get Your Georgia Crash Report? Here's What to Know.

Is a car accident report public record? In Georgia, many crash reports can be requested through a set process, but access is not the same for every person or every document. The agency that investigated the crash keeps the report, and you ask that agency for a copy. This guide explains who can ask, what may be limited, and what to do early after a crash.

Short answer: are car accident reports public record in Georgia?

Georgia crash reports are records you can request through the agency that handled the crash. The answer depends on who is asking and what the record contains. The Georgia Department of Transportation describes how to obtain police crash reports in its GDOT crash reporting pages.

The investigating law enforcement agency creates the report. For fatal and major-injury crashes, the Georgia State Patrol takes part in the investigation, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS victim assistance page). So the agency that handled your crash is usually the place to start.

Our Georgia car accident guide covers the wider process after a wreck. T. Madden & Associates, P.C. has been in practice since 1999 and handles car, truck, and motorcycle crash cases, along with other injury matters.

Are accident reports public records under Georgia law?

Georgia crash reports can be requested, but a crash report is not the whole file. Georgia separates the crash report, the investigation behind it, and other records about drivers and vehicles. Each can follow different access rules.

The Georgia Uniform Vehicle Accident Report sets out the state’s crash-reporting procedures. It also describes official crash data available for resolving legal matters after a motor-vehicle accident (Georgia Uniform Vehicle Accident Report). That is why insurers, lawyers, and families often ask for it first.

The line between “public” and “limited” is where people get stuck. An open investigation can delay release of a report. Access can also differ depending on who asks. The exact rules depend on the facts of your crash, including its type and the person requesting it.

Who can request a copy of a car accident report?

The people involved in the crash are the first people to ask for a copy. That includes drivers, passengers, and others directly involved in the wreck. Ask early, because the report is the base document for the rest of your claim.

Family members often ask for a relative who was hurt or died. The agency may want proof of that role before it releases a report, so bring papers that show the relationship.

If someone died, Georgia law addresses who can bring the claim. When no one else is entitled to sue, the administrator or executor may bring the action for the next of kin, and the recovery is the full value of the decedent’s life (O.C.G.A. § 51-4-5). When death results from a crime or from criminal or other negligence, the personal representative may also recover funeral, medical, and other necessary expenses.

The basic steps are simple. Find the agency that handled the crash. Give the crash date, the location, and the names of those involved. Pay any copy fee the agency charges.

Are police reports considered confidential?

Police crash reports and investigation files are different records. The report is the summary document. The investigation file can hold more material, and the agency controls how it is handled.

An open case can slow everything down. If the investigation is still active, ask the agency for its status.

Keep a record of every request you send. Note the date, the person you spoke with, and what they told you. A simple log helps if a request is delayed or the answer changes later.

How can you check the accident history of a vehicle or driver?

No, a crash report is not a full history of a driver or a vehicle. It describes the crash it covers. It does not list every ticket, claim, or other crash tied to that person or car.

Insurers and attorneys usually pair a crash report with medical records, photos, and witness information. The report sets out the timeline and the parties. Medical records show the injuries. Photos show the scene and vehicle damage.

Vehicle and driver history records are kept separately from crash reports. Ask the agency that holds the record which document you need before you request it.

When a commercial truck is involved, the rules can differ. Federal rules let a motor carrier keep legible copies that accurately reflect the required records in place of originals, except as otherwise provided (49 C.F.R. § 390.31). That matters because the copy may be what the carrier keeps on file.

How long after an accident do you have to report it in Georgia?

Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, actions for injuries to the person shall be brought within two years after the right of action accrues, except as otherwise provided in this article, and actions for injuries to the person involving loss of consortium shall be brought within four years after the right of action accrues. The two years run from when the right of action accrues, so count from that date.

Prompt action helps because later requests depend on the early record. Write down what you remember now, while it is fresh. Note the time, the place, the vehicle details, and any witnesses.

Fault matters too. Georgia reduces damages by the plaintiff’s share of fault, and a plaintiff 50 percent or more at fault recovers nothing (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). The crash record is one of the tools used to show how the wreck happened.

How do you find footage of a car accident?

Send a written preservation request for footage as soon as possible. Video from traffic cameras, businesses, and dashcams is often kept only for a limited time, so early requests matter.

Start with the places most likely to have video. Nearby businesses, the owner of a vehicle with a dashcam, and government traffic cameras are common sources. Name the location and a narrow time window in each request.

Ask the holder to keep the footage in place. Do this before you have a formal request ready. Keep a copy of each letter or email and note the date you sent it.

Pursue footage alongside the crash report. The date, time, and location you give the agency also help narrow a footage request.

Talk with T. Madden & Associates about your crash

A free, confidential first consultation is a simple way to talk through a crash report and your next steps. You don’t need to have every record in hand to start.

If you’re holding a crash report you can’t read, or you’re worried about a relative hurt in a wreck, reach out to T. Madden & Associates, P.C. through our contact page. Terance Madden is the responsible lawyer for this page, and the firm has offices in Jonesboro, Atlanta, Decatur, Macon, and Augusta. Your first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue. The firm works on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.

For related reading, see whether you have to report a car accident to police in Georgia and how a car accident demand letter works in Georgia.