Request South Carolina Car Accident Reports

You should file an accident report if you’re the operator of a vehicle involved in a crash where the damage to any one vehicle or property is over $1000, or if there is an injury to any person.

You must file the report within 15 days of the date of the crash.

You are required to immediately notify the police after a vehicle accident resulting in injury or death.

Data from your traffic collision report is used for many purposes including:

• • Identifying locations with a large number of crashes.
• • Improving dangerous highways and intersections.
• • Developing highway safety public information programs.
• • Developing programs to save lives and reduce highway injuries.

A traffic collision occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction, such as a tree, pole or building. Traffic collisions often result in injury, death, and property damage.

South Carolina Highway Patrol accident reports reveal that the number of fatal accidents have risen by 7.5% year-on-year, with an estimated 1,144 fatalities in 2021. While the rise in car accidents in South Carolina can be partially increased by rising traffic following COVID-19 lockdowns, the Palmetto State has consistently seen higher accident rates than other states.

According to further statistics from South Carolina car accident reports, there are approximately 1.97 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. With the numbers crunched from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, state residents must contend with living in one of the top 10 most dangerous states in the country for driving.

It underlines the importance of knowing how to obtain South Carolina accident reports to support your fight for justice if you are involved in a road traffic accident.

The State Police in South Carolina will complete a crash report after attending the scene of an accident. Your SCDMV collision report may appear confusing initially, but it is relatively simple to get the information you want.

South Carolina crash reports contain two pages, with the incident number on the top-left corner of the report. You will also see the Department of Public Safety incident number next to it.

Here is how to read each section of your report:

• A: Location Information - Precise information on where the accident occurred, including lanes and intersections.
• B: Personal Information - Personal information about the drivers, passengers, and any pedestrians. It will contain information like drivers’ license numbers and insurance details. The attending officer will also list who they believe was at fault.
• C: Accident Description - A description of the accident, including a drawing/diagram.
• D: Police Officer Information - At the bottom of the first page, the officer will record their rank and badge number.
• E: Injury Information - Page two begins with a full listing of the condition of all parties involved in a car collision. Condition information can range from “not injured” to “fatal”. The officer can also fill out fields for whether a passenger was taken to the hospital and seat belt use.
• F: Sequence of Events - The next step in filling out a SCDMV accident report is to record the timeline of events, based on testimony from those involved and any witnesses.
• G: Presence of Alcohol or Drugs - The police officer will note the results of breath or sobriety tests. For more information, look up field sobriety tests on the SCDMV website.
• H: Contributing Factors - The officer will make their observations regarding any contributing factors, such as speeding, distracted driving, or failing to indicate. There are also sections for any obstructions, debris, or environmental factors. This is considered one of the most critical sections in South Carolina collision reports.