What’s Included in a Florida Accident Report?

In Florida, the rules regarding accident reports are found within the Florida Statutes. There are two types of accident reports: (1) Long Form and (2) Short Form. These are known as a Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form, and a short-form crash report within the statutes. 

The information in these forms can have a lasting impact on your driving record. Therefore, If you have been involved in an accident in Florida, let a Florida accident lawyer at Searcy Denney help you make sure your accident report is accurate, as it can be used as part of your personal injury case.

About Florida’s Long Form

According to Title XXIII, Motor Vehicles, Section 316, State Uniform Traffic Control, Sub-Section 316.066(1)(a), a Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form must be completed and submitted to the department within 10 days after an investigation is completed by the law enforcement officer who, in the regular course of duty, investigates a motor vehicle crash that:

1. Resulted in death of, personal injury to, or any indication of complaints of pain or discomfort by any of the parties or passengers involved in the crash,
2. Involved a violation of Section 316.061(1) (crashes involving damage to vehicle or property) or Section 316.193 (driving under the influence),
3. Rendered a vehicle inoperable to the degree that required a wrecker to remove it from the scene of the crash, or
4. Involved a commercial motor vehicle.

Information contained in the Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form includes:

1. The date, time, and location of the crash.
2. A description of the vehicles involved.
3. The names and addresses of the parties involved, including all drivers and passengers, and the identification of the vehicle in which each was a driver or a passenger.
4. The names and addresses of witnesses.
5. The name, badge number, and law enforcement agency of the officer investigating the crash.
6. The names of the insurance companies for the respective parties involved in the crash.

About the Short Form

In any crash for which a Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form is not required and occurs on the state’s public roadways, the law enforcement officer will complete a short-form crash report or provide a driver exchange-of-information form to be completed by all drivers and passengers involved in the crash. This requires the identification of each vehicle in which the drivers and passengers were traveling. The short-form report must include:

1. The date, time, and location of the crash.
2. A description of the vehicles involved.
3. The names and addresses of the parties involved, including all drivers and passengers, and the identification of the vehicle in which each was a driver or a passenger.
4. The names and addresses of witnesses.
5. The name, badge number, and law enforcement agency of the officer investigating the crash.
6. The names of the insurance companies for the respective parties involved in the crash.

A Brief Note About Both Forms

It’s hard not to notice that both the Long Form and the Short Form’s statutory requirements are identical. Nonetheless, a visual examination shows that the forms themselves are not similar and that the Short Form is indeed a bit shorter than the Long Form.

Contact a Florida Accident Lawyer for More Information

Accident reports can have a lasting effect on your driving record and your insurance. To make sure all of the information contained in your accident report is accurate, contact a Florida accident lawyer at Searcy Denney. We offer a free consultation and work on a contingency fee basis. If you need our help, contact us online today.