How to Get a Police Report After a Car Accident in Miami

In the aftermath of a car accident, having a police report can be helpful.  It can list all kinds of information, like who was involved, where the accident happened, which police officer responded, and more.

In Miami, you can get a police report from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).  They host reports online, accessible through an online portal, but you can also request reports by mail.  You may also be able to get a report in person from a Florida Highway Patrol Troop Station.  Even the Miami PD directs you to go to the FLHSMV.

For help with your car accident case, call Graves Injury Law Firm’s Miami car accident attorneys at (305) 614-2767 today.

Where Do You Get a Car Accident Report in Miami?

The FLHSMV department collects police reports from all police departments in the state and makes them available.  This means that regardless of which police department or officer prepared your report, you should go through the FLHSMV to get your report.

Getting a Report Online

The FLHSMV has an online portal where you can request a crash report and download it.  You can pay online and get a download link sent to your email, then download the file as a .zip file and open it at your leisure.

You only get 48 hours from the request to download your report.

Getting a Report In Person

Reports can be obtained in person through the Florida Highway Patrol Troop Station nearest to your accident.  You should call ahead if you can to see if they are open and able to handle your request on the day you would like to go in.

If you cannot find your report through the FHP, try getting it online from the FLHSMV instead.

Getting a Report By Mail

Instead of getting a report online, you can submit a request by mail.  There is a form available on the FLHSMV website that you can mail to the FLHSMV with payment.  However, this can take 4-6 weeks after it is received, while the online request is basically instantaneous.

Payment must be provided as a check or money order made out to FLHSMV.  Requests must also detail the accident and provide all information, as well as a signed statement saying you are authorized to receive the report.

How to Use Car Accident Reports in a Miami Car Accident Case

What Info is in a Report?

Reports contain basically the entire story of what happened in a crash:

  • Who was involved
  • Where the crash happened
  • What vehicles were involved
  • What injuries were sustained
  • What officer responded
  • What the officer saw upon arriving at the scene
  • Who the officer talked to
  • The position of vehicles
  • Damage to vehicles
  • Lighting
  • Weather
  • Roadway conditions
  • Signs/signals present
  • A diagram of the crash
  • Photos

Recall, however, that this is all from the perspective of the officer.  The officer probably responded after the crash and might not have actually witnessed the crash, so most of the information about the accident itself is secondhand.  Everything else comes from observations after the crash happened.

Is it Admissible as Evidence?

Under Florida Law, the crash report itself cannot be used as evidence.  However, we can call the officer who wrote it to testify to the things they saw or heard at the scene.

Are There Other Uses?

Reports can also be used in these ways:

  • Insurance companies can reference them when deciding a claim.
  • Victims who were knocked out or had to go straight to the hospital can reference the report for evidence they could not stay to collect at the scene.
  • We can use the report to find evidence we did not already have.
  • We can use statements within the report to challenge things that witnesses say on the stand, if they are different than what they reported immediately after the accident.
  • Witnesses can reference the report on the stand to refresh their recollection about what happened.

FAQs for Car Accident Reports in Miami

Who Can Get a Copy of a Police Report?

There are two versions of police reports: one version that contains all of the party’s information (such as home address) and one that does not.  The confidential version of the report with all of the information can only be obtained by parties to the accident (i.e., one of the drivers) or their representatives (insurance companies, lawyers, etc.).

Other parties (e.g., news stations) can request the non-confidential versions of reports.

Do Drivers Need to Submit Crash Reports?

In Florida, you usually report a crash with injury by calling the police, then they submit the written report.  If, for some reason, the crash did not need to be reported or was not reported, you can report it yourself.  There is a written form you can use for this purpose, available also through the FLHSMV.

Do You Need a Copy of Your Crash Report Yourself?

Not usually.  Insurance companies are capable of getting these reports on their own, and our lawyers can obtain a copy for you as part of the investigation into your case.  There usually is no reason you would need to get a copy of the report on your own.

How Much Does a Copy of a Car Accident Report Cost?

Through the FLHSMV, reports cost $10, plus a $2 convenience fee for payment.

How Long Do You Have to Wait for a Copy of a Police Report?

Police are usually required to submit the report within 10 days of it happening, and then it should become immediately available through the online portal.  If your report is not yet available, you may have to wait and try again.  If it is still not available after more than 10 days, contact the officer or work with a lawyer to get a police report.

Once you make the request, it should be made available to you immediately online, and you get 2 days to download the file.

Is there a Difference Between a Police Report and a Car Crash Report?

Sort of.  Police write up both reports, but the phrase “police report” usually refers to an investigative report for a crime, while the name “crash report” is more common for a police report for an auto accident.

Call Our Miami Car Accident Lawyers Today

Call (305) 614-2767 for a free case evaluation with the Miami personal injury lawyers at Graves Injury Law Firm today.