How to Get a Crash Report in Tennessee

01Start here

Find out which agency investigated the crash

The first question is who wrote the report. Crashes on interstates and many state highways are often worked by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Crashes inside city limits are usually handled by the city police department, such as Metro Nashville Police, Memphis Police or Knoxville Police, while crashes in unincorporated areas may be worked by the county sheriff’s office.

The officer at the scene usually gives drivers a card or exchange form with the agency name and a case or report number. Keep it. If you did not receive one, call the non-emergency line of the agency you believe responded and give the date, time and location; records staff can usually tell you whether a report exists and when it will be ready.

Crashes on private property, such as a store parking lot, are sometimes handled differently. Some agencies write a full report, others record only an information exchange, and some do not respond at all unless someone is hurt. If no official report exists, your own photos, the other driver’s details and any witness contacts become even more important.

02Ordering

How to order a Tennessee crash report

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security runs an online portal, Purchase TN Crash, that provides crash reports from the Highway Patrol and many local police and sheriff departments. Reports are generally available within about seven business days, and the online fee is $10. You will need the crash date, the investigating agency, the last name and driver license number of a driver involved, and one of the following: the VIN, the license plate number or the case tracking number.

For crashes worked by THP, involved drivers, owners, passengers or their agents can also buy a copy at a THP district office or by mail for $4. Local agencies often sell their own reports directly as well, sometimes at a lower per-page cost, so check the investigating department’s records office if the online search does not find yours.

• Date of the crash and the county
• Name of the investigating agency
• A driver’s last name and license number
• VIN, license plate or case tracking number

03Reading it

What the crash report shows and what it leaves out

A Tennessee crash report usually includes the drivers, vehicles, insurance information, a diagram, the officer’s narrative, road and weather conditions, any citations issued and sometimes witness names. Insurers rely on it heavily when deciding fault, so read it carefully as soon as you receive it.

The report is a snapshot written quickly, often by an officer who did not see the collision. It may not include every witness, nearby video sources, debris locations, skid marks or what drivers said once the officer left. Those details can matter a great deal in a disputed claim or lawsuit, and they are exactly what fades first.

Pay close attention to the narrative and the contributing-factor codes, because adjusters often read those first. If a witness told the officer something different from what appears in the narrative, note it right away and share it with your insurer or attorney rather than waiting for the claim to stall.

04Corrections

What to do if the crash report has errors

Factual mistakes, such as a wrong plate number, an incorrect insurance carrier or a misplaced location, can often be addressed by contacting the investigating agency and asking whether the officer can file a supplemental report. Bring documents that prove the correct information, such as your registration or insurance card.

Disagreements about fault are different. Officers rarely change their opinion about who caused a crash, and the report’s conclusions are not the final word in a civil case. If you disagree, the better path is usually to build independent evidence, through photos, witness statements and video, that your insurer or attorney can use.

05Preserve evidence

Preserve the evidence before it disappears

Video is the evidence most often lost. Many businesses and homes with cameras overwrite footage within days or weeks, and traffic and transit cameras may not keep recordings long. Ask nearby businesses quickly whether they have footage and whether they will preserve it, and have your attorney send a preservation letter when the stakes are high.

Witnesses are the second loss. People listed on the report, and people who stopped but were never listed, can be hard to find months later. A licensed investigator can canvass the area, locate and interview witnesses, photograph the scene and road conditions, and identify cameras that may have captured the collision.

06Hit and run

When the other driver left the scene

Hit-and-run crashes put a premium on speed. A partial plate, a vehicle description, paint transfer or a damaged part left behind can all help identify the driver if the follow-up starts quickly. Report the crash to police, get the report number, and write down everything you remember while it is fresh.

Police investigate hit-and-runs, but caseloads are heavy, and civil claims often move on a different timeline. Delator Group’s hit-and-run skip tracing work combines camera canvassing, vehicle and records research and witness interviews to identify drivers across Tennessee, and the results are documented so your attorney or insurer can act on them.

Interactive checklist

After-crash records and evidence checklist

Use this list in the days after a Tennessee collision.

Step by step

How Delator supports a crash investigation

1. 01

   Review the report and facts

   We read the crash report and your account to identify what is missing or disputed.

2. 02

   Canvass and preserve

   Investigators look for cameras, witnesses and physical evidence before they are lost.

3. 03

   Locate and interview

   We find witnesses, take statements and, in hit-and-runs, work to identify the driver.

4. 04

   Document for counsel

   You or your attorney receive a clear report, photos and statements ready for the claim.

Compare

Ways to obtain a Tennessee crash report

FAQ

Frequently asked questions