How To Read Your North Carolina Car Accident Report

Experienced Lawyers Ready To Fight For Financial Compensation

If you are involved in a car accident in North Carolina, it’s important to call the police. They can make sure everybody gets the medical attention they need. They can keep the accident scene safe while things get sorted out. In addition, they can fill out a car accident report that documents what happened.

This report can be an important piece of evidence when determining who was at fault for the crash – and how much financial compensation you should receive. The experienced car accident attorneys at Brent Adams & Associates know how to read these reports to find the information that can help your case.

In North Carolina, police use the Crash Report Form DMV-349. Get a copy of this report as soon as you can following your accident. One of our attorneys can review it with you to make sure all the information is correct. We can also go over your legal options and answer any questions you have about what happens next.

Insurance companies are not on your side and will look for information they can use to pay you as little as possible or what happened. That’s why it’s important to talk to an attorney as soon as possible. Contact us to learn more about reading your accident report and how we can help you pursue your claim for compensation.

Page 1

The top section includes some basic information about the accident – such as the time and date it occurred. It will also list the exact location of the crash – the road, city or town, distance to the nearest intersection and if available, latitude and longitude. This section will also note the number of vehicles that were involved.

The “Unit” section includes specific information about vehicle operators and pedestrians. This includes names, addresses, phone numbers and driver’s license information for the vehicle operators. The investigating officer will also note whether the driver was impaired by drugs or alcohol or suspected to be driving under the influence.

The “Owner” section includes information about the owner of the vehicle, if different from the driver. There is also information about the vehicle – the make, year, style, vehicle identification number (VIN) and plate number. This section also lists insurance information and an initial estimate of the damage.

The bottom section lists the names and addresses of other people involved in the accident, including passengers and witnesses. The officer will also note whether anyone received emergency medical attention and note the name of the EMS and which facility the injured were taken to receive treatment.

Page 2

The top section notes the sequences of events leading up to the collision. This includes information such as the posted speed limit and the estimated speed of each vehicle. The officer will also note information about the road, such as features, characters, classification, surface type, configuration and number of lanes.

There will also be a diagram depicting the crash. The officer will include all vehicles and note their position and direction of travel.

Below the diagram, the officer will write a narrative describing how the crash happened.

The bottom section will note any non-vehicle property damage, as well as names and contact information for property owners and witnesses. The officer will also note whether any citations were issued.

Click here to download a printable version of “How To Read Your North Carolina Accident Report.”