Getting a Car Accident Report in Santa Rosa

You’re legally required to report a car accident in the state of California when it causes an injury or death. When the police arrive on the scene after a crash in Santa Rosa, they’ll interview you and other drivers, make some preliminary assessments of fault, and document important pieces of information about your case in an accident report.

Among other things, a car accident report will include:

• The date and location of the car accident
• Diagrams and pictures of the reported incident
• The names of parties involved in the collision
• Eyewitness statements
• Notes about weather conditions, traffic conditions, and other factors that may have contributed to the accident
• Citations issued to drivers at the scene

Even though your accident report might not be admissible in court if your car accident lawsuit goes to trial in Santa Rosa, it’s still one of the most valuable pieces of evidence you and your Santa Rosa accident attorney will have as you pursue compensation from an insurance company or at-fault party.

How Can I Get a Copy of an Accident Report After a Crash in Santa Rosa?

It’ll typically take between 3 and 10 days for an accident report to be ready for distribution after a collision. To get a copy, you’ll have to make a formal request with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department or the Santa Rosa Police Department - it depends on which law enforcement agency responded to your accident and wrote the report.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s County

You can request a copy of your car accident from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office by completing a form on their website.

Indicate that you’d like a copy of your Traffic Collision Report, provide your name and mailing address, and other information required by the agency. Submit the request and mail the applicable fee to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office at 2796 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95403 ATTN: Records. 

Your payment must be received before the agency will release the crash report to you. You can call (707) 565-2204 or e-mail the office at Sheriff-CIB@sonoma-county.org with any questions.

Santa Rosa Police Department

If your accident report was generated by the Santa Rose Police Department, you can get a copy by completing the city’s Report Request Form. Bring a copy of the report with a check made out to the City of Santa Rosa for $2 to the Records Counter between 9 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday. 

Alternatively, you can mail your request to the Records Bureau at 965 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. If you mail your request, it must be notarized and include a check for $2.

Have Your Santa Rosa Car Accident Attorney Review Your Crash Report

While car accident reports are valuable, they can sometimes be inaccurate. You don’t want to let inaccuracies jeopardize your ability to recover compensation. 

If you discover a mistake, don’t hesitate to call Singleton Schreiber. While the report itself probably can’t be changed, our Santa Rosa car accident attorneys can ensure that the error doesn’t stand between you and the money you need to move forward with your life.

Set a time for a free consultation with our award-winning legal team by calling our Santa Rosa, California, law office today.