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After a car accident in Arkansas, evidence is the key to your case, and one of the most important pieces of evidence is the accident report filled out by the investigating officer. This report, called the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Crash Report, is used by insurance companies to determine fault for the accident. While the report itself is usually not admissible in court, if the investigating officer has to testify in a deposition or in court, their testimony will usually be drawn from the report.
As such, it’s important to understand what your report says and how it might affect your claim.
Arkansas Motor Vehicle Crash Report
https://www.nhtsa.gov/document/arkansas-motor-vehicle-crash-report-revised-2016
Page 1
The first section contains the investigating officer’s name, the last names of the drivers involved in the wreck, and the date and location. Note that the “severity” section is not the last word on the severity of the crash, since many injuries have delayed symptoms.
Click here to download a printable PDF of How to Read Your Arkansas Car Accident Report.
The “Crash Factors and Conditions” section is critical: it describes the type of crash and possible contributing factors, such as light, weather and road conditions.
If the crash occurred in a work zone, it will be noted at the bottom of the page.
Page 2
The Attachments section lists any supplemental materials such as photos, coroner reports, or test results.
Any damage to property other than a vehicle, such as a guardrail, can be found in the Non-Vehicular Property Damage section.
Contact information for any witnesses can be found here. Witnesses can be a key part of building a winning case.
Page 3
Information on the first involved vehicle and its owner, including license plate and contact information, can be found here.
The vehicle’s insurance information, if any, is also listed on this page.
Page 4
This page describes the role played by the vehicle listed on the previous page in the crash, including direction of travel and maneuver.
The Motor Vehicle Events section describes what happened to this vehicle, in what order.
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Page 5
This page identifies the driver of the listed vehicle, including contact and license information.
The Driver Seating and Safety Information section describes where the driver was located and whether they were ejected from the vehicle. It also indicates whether seatbelts or motorcycle helmets were worn, which plays an important role in liability.
Page 6
The top section explains what medical attention, if any, the driver of the indicated vehicle received.
Pay close attention the middle section, as it indicates many possible factors that could have contributed to a crash, including fatigue, drug use, and low visibility.
The bottom section describes what the driver did during the crash, which again may establish liability.
Page 7
This page includes information on passengers, including which vehicle they were seated in, contact information, and whether they were injured or received medical treatment.
Page 8
This page describes any non-motorists (such as pedestrians or cyclists) who were involved in the wreck, including which vehicle struck them, their contact information, and whether they were injured.
Page 9
The investigating officer writes out a narrative of the wreck on this page. Read it carefully; it may contain information not found elsewhere in the report.
Page 10
The investigating officer draws a diagram of what happened. Take note of any discrepancies with your memory of the accident.
