Quinlan Law Group crestQuinlan Law Group

How to Get Your Pennsylvania Crash Report

Reviewed by Sean Quinlan, Esq. — attorney licensed in Pennsylvania (PA Attorney ID 86858)

Written and reviewed by Sean Quinlan, who handles injury and wrongful-death claims across Pennsylvania. About the attorney · Verify PA license

To get your Pennsylvania crash report, request it from the police department that responded to the crash — the Pennsylvania State Police for most highway and rural crashes, or the local borough, township or city police department for crashes in town. Anyone involved in the crash is entitled to ask for a copy under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3751. This guide is free, and we never charge to explain the process.

Step by step

  1. Find the investigating agency on the exchange-of-information slip the officer gave you. It usually carries an incident or report number.
  2. Gather the date and time of the crash, the municipality and road, the incident number, and the name of at least one driver.
  3. If the State Police responded, submit the State Police crash report request through the Pennsylvania State Police records process.
  4. If a local department responded, contact that department's records unit directly. Many post request forms on their municipal website.
  5. Read the report the day it arrives and note anything that does not match your memory while the details are fresh.

Why the report matters — and its limits

I am Sean Quinlan. After a crash, the police report is usually the first document an insurance adjuster reads, and it anchors how they value the claim. It lists the officer, witnesses, citations, the diagram and road conditions.

But under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3752 the reports submitted to PennDOT are generally not admissible in a civil trial. Treat your report as a roadmap to the evidence, not the evidence itself. If the officer got something wrong, the case is built on the underlying facts — photos, witnesses, vehicle data and medical records.

Your deadline keeps running while you wait

Most Pennsylvania injury claims must be filed within two years under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, and claims against a government agency need written notice within six months. Pennsylvania also uses modified comparative negligence under 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102: you recover nothing if you are 51% or more at fault. A report that wrongly assigns fault is worth addressing early.

Where your case would be filed

Pennsylvania injury lawsuits are filed in the Court of Common Pleas of one of the state’s 67 counties. Venue is set by where the injury happened or where a defendant can be served, which is why a Pittsburgh crash, an Erie dog bite case and a Philadelphia premises case each follow different local rules and different jury pools. See the Pennsylvania county courthouse directory.

County-by-county guides

Crash report questions

Who is allowed to get a copy of a Pennsylvania crash report?

Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3751, the investigating police department releases a copy to people with a proper interest in the crash — a driver involved, a passenger, an owner of a damaged vehicle, and the attorney or insurer representing any of them.

How do I know which police department has my report?

Check the exchange-of-information slip the officer gave you at the scene. It names the department and usually lists an incident number. Highway and rural crashes are usually handled by the Pennsylvania State Police; crashes inside boroughs, townships and cities are usually handled by the local police department.

Why isn't my crash report available yet?

Departments generally do not release a report until the investigating officer has completed it, and portions tied to an open criminal investigation may be withheld. If weeks pass with no report, call the department's records unit with your incident number.

Can the crash report be used as evidence in court?

Generally not. 75 Pa.C.S. § 3752 treats the crash reports and data submitted to PennDOT as confidential and for accident-prevention and statistical purposes, and they are generally not admissible in a civil trial arising from the crash. The report still shapes how insurers evaluate a claim, which is why you should read yours carefully.

Does getting my crash report affect my deadline to file a claim?

No. Most Pennsylvania injury claims must be filed within two years under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, and claims against a government agency require written notice within six months. Waiting on a report does not pause either deadline.

Should I pay a website to get my crash report for me?

There is no need. Request it directly from the investigating department through its official channel. Third-party retrieval services resell the same document for a higher price.

Hurt in the crash?

Call Sean Quinlan, Esq. today at (717) 724-7503 — evidence fades fast, and the insurer is already building its file. Or start a free case review.

Keep reading: Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer · Car accidents · Truck accidents · Motorcycle accidents · Pedestrian & bicycle accidents · Recent PA accident reports