{"id":14548,"date":"2022-02-18T06:18:37","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T11:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/?page_id=14548"},"modified":"2023-03-14T15:30:03","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T19:30:03","slug":"public-records","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/car-accident\/faqs\/public-records\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Car Accident Reports Public Records in Georgia?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, car accident reports in Georgia are public record. However, this does not mean that it is easily accessible or available to anyone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Car accidents are unfortunate and often traumatic events. It can be helpful to know what steps you should take if you are involved in a car accident. Below, learn more about Georgia\u2019s laws for reporting car accidents. We will also tell you how to access car accident records and which records are considered public and available for request.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Georgia Laws for Car Accident Reporting<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accidents can be more common in metro areas due to increased traffic and population density. Under Georgia law, you must report any car accident that results in injury or death. You also need to report an accident resulting in significant property damage, generally $500 or more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a good idea to report any accident in many cases, even if there are no injuries or damages. This allows you to protect yourself from the other party making claims against you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Filing a Police Report<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your first step in reporting an accident should be to call the local police. If you are unsure which police or sheriff\u2019s department has jurisdiction at the accident scene, you can call 9-1-1.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When filing a police report, you must give a thorough and honest description of the accident, including when and where it occurred. Proper reporting of damages and injuries can help you prove your case regarding an insurance claim or lawsuit. Honesty and transparency will help create a fact-based police report to insurance companies.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Benefits of a Police Report for a Car Accident<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a car accident and speaking with the police, the police will create a report. This report can help protect citizens from future lawsuits and insurance claims. Police reports provide several benefits, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Descriptions of citations or violations of the law<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individual opinions as to the reasons for the accident<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determination of liable party<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An official determination of the cause of the accident<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statements from witnesses and involved parties<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A detailed, honest description of the accident, including time, date, and location<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/video-center\/tips\/accident-tip-7-save-all-physical-evidence\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save all evidence<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including photos and torn clothes, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though not all aspects of a police report are fully factual, and some may be opinions, a police report can be an invaluable tool in the courtroom or with an insurance claim. Without a police report, a compensation case can be hard to prove.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once your police report is created, you may be curious if that accident report is considered a public record. It is considered a public record, yes. However, it is not always easily accessible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Georgia Procedures for Accessing Car Accident Reports<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/law.georgia.gov\/sites\/law.georgia.gov\/files\/related_files\/site_page\/BlueBook2014.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Georgia\u2019s Law Enforcement and Open Records Act<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows Georgians to access many kinds of public records and documentation. Motor vehicle accident reports are covered under this act.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it is not always simple to access these public records. To view a car accident report, a person must submit an official request. The person requesting it must want it for a legitimate reason.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To access car accident reports and many other kinds of records, a citizen must submit a \u201cwritten statement of need.\u201d If you feel overwhelmed by this kind of process, our attorneys can guide you through the process of claiming your records.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Who Can Submit a Car Accident Report Request?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many parties may want to access a car accident report, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who have personal or business relationships with a party involved in the accident<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who own (or previously owned) property that was potentially damaged in the accident<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attorneys<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Government agencies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Witnesses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reporters<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who were injured in the accident<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it makes sense that many of these parties may want access to this report, not all requests are accepted. Requests are evaluated to determine whether there is a legitimate need to access the report. If a request is deemed illegitimate, that party will not gain access to the accident report. Most requests are either granted or denied within three business days.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Georgia Sink, P.A., Injury Lawyers Are on Your Side<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being involved in a car accident can be overwhelming, but accessing your car accident report should not be. If you are concerned about protecting your legal rights after a car accident, contact Georgia Sink, P.A., Injury Lawyers, and receive a free consultation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Call <a href=\"tel:(843) 779-1777\">(843) 779-1777<\/a>, so we can get started. Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/car-accident\/\n\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">car accident lawyers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are on your side.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, car accident reports in Georgia are public record. However, this does not mean that it is easily accessible or available to anyone. Car accidents are unfortunate and often traumatic events. It can be helpful to know what steps you should take if you are involved in a car accident. Below, learn more about Georgia\u2019s&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":14550,"parent":1595,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14548","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Are Car Accident Records Public in SC &amp; GA? | George Sink<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Obtaining a car accident report is vital if you\u2019re building a legal case in Georgia. 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