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After a car crash in Tennessee, the investigating police officer will fill out an accident report, known as the Tennessee Electronic Traffic Crash Report.
The information in this report will be used by insurance companies to determine fault in the accident. The investigating officer will also refer to this report if asked to give a deposition or to testify at trial. That’s why it’s important to get a copy of your accident report as soon as possible and to review it to see if the information is accurate.
Tennessee Electronic Traffic Crash Report
Page 1
The top of the page will include the date, time and location of the crash, as well as the responding law enforcement agency. The officer will note the total number of vehicles involved, the total number of vehicle occupants and non-occupants involved, the total number of people killed, the total number of people injured and the total amount of people uninjured.
Click here to download a printable PDF of Reading Your Tennessee Car Accident Report.
This page will also include information about the accident location – such as the name of the roadway and nearest mile marker. The officer would note if the accident occurred in a work zone or obstruction zone and if any workers were present. There is also a section to note weather conditions, light conditions, the manner of collision and collision factors.
The bottom of the page will include information about the investigating officer, including name and badge number.
Page 2
The top of the page will include information about the drivers, including name, contact information, driver’s license number, license status, safety equipment used, whether the driver was ejected, whether the driver was trapped and had to be extricated, whether the driver was injured and whether the driver was transported to a hospital.
Underneath, there is a section that includes driver conditions and actions that contributed to the crash. Below that, there will be information about any drug or alcohol testing, including the results. There is also a section for the officer to record any driver violations.
The bottom of the page will include vehicle information. This includes the make, model, year, color, vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number. There is also space for the officer to note insurance information.
Page 3
The top of the page has information about vehicle damage and roadway characteristics. These includes the most harmful event, the events leading to the crash, the point of first impact and the extent of damage, including an estimate in dollars. The officer will also note if the vehicle was towed and include information about any trailers that were attached. There is also space for the officer to record the travel direction, trafficway low, roadway surface type, number of lanes, trafficway hazards, traffic control devices, roadway signs and posted speed limit.
The middle of the page has space for the officer to include information about the commercial carrier, if a truck or bus was involved in the crash. This includes the carrier name and address and whether any hazardous materials were being transported.
At the bottom of the page, there will be a narrative describing how the accident occurred, based on the officer’s investigation.
