If you were injured in a traffic collision anywhere in California, one of the most important documents you will rely upon is the traffic accident report—often called the police report, collision report, or CHP 555. Insurance companies, lawyers, courts, and investigators treat this report as the foundation of any claim involving a motor vehicle crash. Yet most people have no idea what is actually inside these reports, how to obtain them, why they matter, or how they can be used strategically in a personal injury case.
This in-depth guide explains everything California accident victims should know about traffic collision reports—how they’re created, how to read them, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how an experienced personal injury attorney like Steven M. Sweat can use these reports to protect your legal rights and maximize your compensation.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Traffic Accident Report in California?
- Who Creates These Reports and When Are They Required?
- Why Traffic Accident Reports Matter in Injury Claims
- How to Obtain Your California Traffic Collision Report
- What’s Inside a CHP or Local Police Collision Report?
- How to Read Your Traffic Collision Report
- The Difference Between Facts vs. Opinions in a Police Report
- What If the Report Is Wrong?
- Using the Report to Support Your Personal Injury Claim
- How Insurance Companies Use (and Abuse) Accident Reports
- Additional Evidence Needed Beyond the Report
- When You Should Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
- How Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC Can Help
- Final Thoughts
1. What Is a Traffic Accident Report in California?
A traffic accident report is an official document created by a law enforcement officer who responds to a collision involving motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, or property damage. In California, these reports are typically prepared by:
- California Highway Patrol (CHP)
- Local police departments (e.g., LAPD, Long Beach PD, Pasadena PD)
- County sheriff’s departments
The report includes a factual description of what happened, diagrams, witness statements, officer observations, and sometimes the officer’s opinion about who caused the crash.
For personal injury victims, this report becomes a key piece of evidence when filing an insurance claim or lawsuit.
2. Who Creates These Reports and When Are They Required?
In California, accident reporting requirements depend on the severity and type of collision.
When Police MUST File a Report
Law enforcement is required to write a collision report if:
- There is a fatality
- Anyone involved suffers a visible or suspected injury
- There is a hit-and-run
- A driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- The crash creates a hazard to the flow of traffic
- One or more vehicles must be towed from the scene
Even minor injuries qualify. If you tell the officer you are “fine,” the officer may note “no injury,” which could hurt your case. Always mention any pain, no matter how small.
When Police May Choose NOT to Write a Report
If the crash is minor, no one claims injury, and the roadway is not obstructed, officers may:
- Decline to come to the scene
- Arrive but decline to write a report
- Only facilitate an exchange of information
- Decline to assign fault
If this happens, you should still gather information and consider filing a counter report at a local station.
3. Why Traffic Accident Reports Matter in Injury Claims
A traffic collision report serves many purposes:
1. Establishes the facts of the crash
This includes the location, time, weather, vehicle positions, and who was present.
2. Contains witness statements
Witnesses may not stick around long. The officer’s record is crucial.
3. Includes the officer’s expert opinions
Even though not always admissible in court, insurers value them heavily.
4. Provides insurance information for all drivers
Helps victims identify the correct insurance policies.
5. Documents whether laws were violated
Such as speeding, DUI, running a red light, unsafe turns.
6. Forms the backbone of early insurance negotiations
Insurance adjusters often rely heavily—sometimes unfairly—on the report.
7. Helps your attorney reconstruct the crash
Especially important when liability is disputed.
Even though traffic reports are not always admissible at trial due to hearsay rules, they carry enormous weight during the negotiation phases of a personal injury case.
4. How to Obtain Your California Traffic Collision Report
Obtaining your report depends on which agency handled the crash. There are three typical methods:
A. California Highway Patrol (CHP) Reports
CHP uses the form CHP 555 (Traffic Collision Report).
How to Request a CHP Report
You can request one:
- Online: Some CHP offices offer online request portals
- By mail: Complete CHP 190 form and mail with fee
- In person: Visit the local CHP office that responded
What You Need:
- Date of crash
- Location of crash
- Party names
- Report number (if known)
Cost
Typically $10–$20 depending on pages.
B. Local Police Department Reports
Each city police department has its own process.
LAPD Example
LAPD reports can be obtained:
- Through LexisNexis Police Reports
- In person at the relevant traffic division
- By mail with an application form
Expect to pay around $18–$25.
C. Sheriff’s Department Reports
These are usually obtained through the county records unit.
Who Can Legally Obtain the Report?
California law restricts access to:
- Drivers involved
- Vehicle owners
- Injured passengers
- Parents/guardians of minors
- Attorneys representing any party
- Insurance companies
- Prosecutors and investigators
How Long Does It Take to Be Ready?
Typical timelines:
- CHP: 7–14 days
- Local police: 7–30 days
- Serious injury or fatal accidents: 30–90 days due to investigation
5. What’s Inside a CHP or Local Police Collision Report?
Traffic accident reports follow a standardized structure. The most common is the CHP 555 used statewide. It includes:
1. Page One: Basic Information
- Date, time, and exact location
- Vehicle and driver info
- Weather and road conditions
- Type of collision (rear-end, sideswipe, etc.)
- Whether alcohol or drugs were suspected
- Injuries documented at the scene
2. Party Information (Vehicles and Drivers)
- Driver names and contact info
- Insurance details
- Vehicle registrations
- Owner information
- Mechanical defects (if noted)
3. Witness Statements
Witnesses may be noted on supplemental forms. These statements can be extremely powerful for establishing liability.
4. Narrative (Officer’s Description of Events)
The officer will describe what happened based on:
- Statements from drivers
- Witness accounts
- Physical evidence
- Scene observations
This narrative may include opinions about fault, citations issued, and contributing factors.
5. Diagram
A hand-drawn or computer-generated diagram shows:
- Position of vehicles
- Skid marks
- Impact points
- Directions of travel
- Road layout
This helps clarify complex crashes.
6. Injury and Damage Assessment
Includes:
- Whether injuries were claimed
- Severity of injuries (minor/moderate/major)
- Ambulance transport
- Damage ratings (1–4 scale) to vehicles
7. Citations Issued
If a driver violated a California Vehicle Code (CVC) section, it may be listed here.
Examples:
- CVC 22350 – Unsafe speed
- CVC 22107 – Unsafe turning movement
- CVC 21453 – Failure to stop at red signal
Citations are not determinative of fault but can strongly support a claim.
6. How to Read Your Traffic Collision Report
Accident reports can be confusing. Here’s how to break them down:
A. Identifying Each Party
The report labels people as:
- Party 1 (P-1) – Usually the first person listed
- Party 2 (P-2)
- Party 3 (P-3)
Being listed as P-1 does NOT necessarily mean you are at fault.
B. Look at the “Cause” Section
Officers list:
- Primary collision factor
- Associated factors
- Violations of law
These are key parts insurers use to assign fault.
C. Review the Narrative Carefully
The narrative explains:
- How the officer interpreted the crash
- Whether inconsistencies were found
- Where liability is assigned
- Whether driver statements match physical evidence
D. Study the Diagram
The diagram may:
- Reveal turning movements
- Show right-of-way
- Indicate failure to stop
- Demonstrate limited visibility
Sometimes diagrams contradict the narrative and can be used to challenge errors.
7. The Difference Between Facts vs. Opinions in a Police Report
This distinction is critical.
Facts Include:
- Position of vehicle debris
- Weather conditions
- Time of day
- Vehicle resting positions
- Statements made by parties
- Visible injuries
- Roadway measurements
These are usually admissible in court.
Opinions Include:
- Who caused the crash
- Which driver violated a law
- Whether speed was unsafe
- Whether a driver was distracted
- How injuries occurred
Officers may not have witnessed the crash, so these opinions are not always admissible and can be challenged during a claim.
8. What If the Report Is Wrong?
This happens frequently.
Common Problems Include:
- Officer misunderstood statements
- Witness was misquoted
- Diagram is inaccurate
- Injury severity is downplayed
- Fault assigned incorrectly
- Report conflicts with photos or video
How to Fix Errors
An attorney can:
- Request a supplemental report
- Provide additional evidence
- Submit written corrections
- Conduct their own investigation
- Interview witnesses
- File a factual change request
Officers are not required to amend reports, but they often will if evidence clearly contradicts their findings.
9. Using the Report to Support Your Personal Injury Claim
A skilled attorney uses the report to build a strong liability case.
Ways Reports Help Your Lawyer:
- Prove the other driver violated a law
- Identify additional responsible parties
- Locate new witnesses
- Support a negligence argument
- Reconstruct the crash using the diagram
- Show early evidence of injuries
- Pressure insurers using officer findings
- Identify discrepancies in the defendant’s later statements
- Establish vehicle damage patterns
Even when an officer does not assign fault, the report provides a wealth of information about what happened, when, and why.
10. How Insurance Companies Use (and Abuse) Accident Reports
Insurance companies often misuse traffic reports to:
- Deny legitimate claims
- Minimize injuries by citing “no injury reported at scene”
- Claim their driver was not at fault
- Offer low settlements
- Selectively quote parts of the report that favor them
However, insurers also:
- Accept fault when citations are issued
- Pay out more quickly when the officer assigns blame clearly
- Rely heavily on witness statements in the report
Experienced attorneys know how to counter improper insurer arguments.
11. Additional Evidence Needed Beyond the Report
The accident report is just the beginning. A complete investigation may include:
- Photos and videos
- Surveillance footage
- Event data recorder (black box) downloads
- Accident reconstruction expert analysis
- Medical records
- Cell phone records (when distracted driving suspected)
- 911 call recordings
- Toxicology reports
- Roadway design or defect analysis
Building a strong personal injury claim involves far more than simply obtaining the police report.
12. When You Should Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
You should speak to an attorney immediately if:
- You suffered any injury
- The report is incomplete or inaccurate
- The report blames you unfairly
- The other driver is uninsured or underinsured
- The insurer denies fault
- You need help understanding the report
- You feel pressured by insurance adjusters
- There is a hit-and-run
- You suspect DUI
- A commercial truck or rideshare vehicle was involved
Accident reports often shape the outcome of your claim—sometimes before you even see it.
13. How Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC Can Help
For over 25 years, Steven M. Sweat has represented injured victims throughout California. He and his team know how to:
- Obtain accident reports quickly
- Read and interpret CHP 555 forms
- Identify errors or omissions
- Request amended or supplemental reports
- Gather additional evidence the police missed
- Challenge incorrect findings
- Present the report to insurers in the most advantageous way
- Use the report to strengthen settlement negotiations
- Prepare the case for litigation if necessary
Your attorney’s skill in handling the report can mean the difference between a minimal offer and a full and fair recovery.
14. Final Thoughts
A traffic collision report is one of the most important documents in any California personal injury case. It shapes the direction of the claim, influences insurers, and often becomes the basis for determining liability. But these reports are not perfect. They contain errors, can be challenged, and must be interpreted correctly to maximize your compensation.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a traffic accident in California, the team at Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC is ready to help you obtain, analyze, and use your collision report to build the strongest possible case.
Contact us today for a free consultation. Toll free 24/7 at 866-966-5240