How Long After A Car Accident Can You Report A Car Accident In Florida?

Under Florida law, you are required to report car accidents to police at the scene of the accident or immediately after the accident. But if you do not notify police at the scene, how many hours or days do you have to file a police report in Florida?

This is a very common question we, here at the Dante Law Firm, P.A., receive every day. Our Miami car accident attorney explains that you have only 10 days after an accident to file a police report in Florida, but not all motor vehicle crashes must be reported.

You are legally required to report a car accident only if it involves any of the following elements:

1. A minimum of $500 in property damages;
2. Injuries, death, or “any indications of pain or discomfort,” which could be symptoms of injuries that have not immediately manifested themselves;
3. One of the vehicles was towed from the scene;
4. One of the vehicles was commercial; and/or
5. One of the motorists was intoxicated or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Another common question is “Who should I report a car accident to?” And the answer is: it depends on where the crash took place. But this should not be your biggest concern after a car crash in Florida, as the appropriate law enforcement agency will respond whenever you call 911 depending on your location.

How to report a car accident in Florida?

If police arrived at the scene of the accident and compiled a police report documenting what happened, you do not have to worry about reporting the accident on your own.

If police did not arrive at the scene or you did not call the cops at all, but the crash involved one or more of the above-mentioned elements, you should report the accident with the police department that has jurisdiction over the area where the motor vehicle collision took place.

There are two ways you can report a car accident in Florida: file a report through a website online or print out the police report form, fill it out, and bring it to the office of the appropriate police department.

What information should be included in a police report?

There are certain types of information you will have to provide in the police report in order to file it properly and in compliance with legal requirements:

• When, where, and how the car crash occurred;
• Which vehicles were involved in the collision (model, license plate, etc.);
• Contact information for all the parties involved, including drivers and passengers;
• Contact information for all the witnesses, if any;
• Insurance information of all the parties involved.

What happens if I do not report a car accident?

Failure to report a car accident to the police in Miami and elsewhere in Florida is considered a “noncriminal traffic violation.” This traffic violation may result in up to four months of community service hours.

Our Miami car accident attorney always advises to file a police report even when you believe that you were not injured in the car crash. It is a good idea not only because your injuries may manifest themselves later on, but also because a police report will document the fact that this accident occurred.

You might be surprised how many people are unable to recover damages after a car crash simply because the at-fault party refuses to admit that the collision occurred and the victim does not have sufficient evidence to prove the existence of this crash. Always consult with an experienced lawyer before filling out a police report. Get a free consultation by calling our offices at (954) 365-0000 or complete this contact form.