March 24, 2022

How to Obtain Your Peoria, IL Crash Report

Posted in: Car Accidents

The steps you take immediately following a Peoria car accident can impact your ability to recover compensation for your damages. One of the most important documents you can obtain after an accident is the crash report.

Crash reports highlight essential details about the accident, which can help file an insurance claim and pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Here’s how to obtain a car accident report in Peoria and what info to make a note of.

What is an Illinois Traffic Report?

When car accidents happen in Illinois, and the police are called, the responding officer will fill out and submit Illinois State Traffic Report form SR-1050, which will look like this sample.

The report contains essential information about the crash, such as:

  • Names, contact information, and vehicle details of the parties involved
  • Vehicle damages and property damage, if any
  • Initial narrative detailing the way the crash occurred
  • Whether the scene is within a work zone or school zone
  • The responding officer’s identifying information

A crash report will be submitted within 10 days after the accident and will record how law enforcement responded. However, crash reports are not always required.

When Crash Reports Are Required

In late 2021, Illinois repealed a statute requiring motorists involved in accidents to fill out a motorist report if a police officer was not called.

In any case, it is a good idea to call the police if you are in an accident, even if it is minor.

The Significance of a Crash Report

Having a copy of your Peoria, IL car crash report can strengthen your claim for recovering damages and might contain details about the crash you don’t remember or didn’t realize. The description of the crash and diagram in the report can be instrumental in your car accident claim or personal injury lawsuit if you choose to pursue one.

For example, the presence or absence of skid marks could relate to the speed of the vehicles involved. Additionally, any statements made to the officer or their observations can be preserved and used as evidence. The report serves as an unbiased account of the crash, which is useful if you and the other driver dispute fault.

How to Get Your Peoria, IL Crash Report

You can easily purchase a copy of your crash report online through LexisNexis BuyCrash for $11. This site publishes reports from the Peoria County Sheriff and the Peoria Police Department. If you have questions about purchasing a crash report or want more information, contact the appropriate department that responded to your accident:

Peoria County Sheriff’s Office
301 N. Maxwell Road
Peoria, IL 61604
309-697-8515

Peoria Police Department
600 SW Adams Street
Peoria, IL 61602
309-673-4521

Illinois State Police Division of Patrol
(217) 524-0191

A Car Accident Lawyer Can Help with Your Crash Report

If you were injured in a car accident, obtaining a copy of the crash report can strongly support your compensation case. For help understanding or locating a copy of your Peoria, IL car crash report, contact Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. today.

For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact us at 312-236-2900.