When anyone is in an accident in Ohio and the police respond, information regarding the crash is automatically filed with the state and on each driver’s record. Afterward, an Ohio crash report regarding the incident is available online, which you can look up and save or print. The reports you can obtain through the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) website are not official and cannot be used in court. However, these public records can give you information about an accident, when and where the accident occurred, and the conditions at the time. There are also instances in which you will need to fill out a crash report yourself.
To learn more about what to do after a collision, contact the Ohio car accident lawyers of Kisling, Nestico & Redick at 1-800-HURT-NOW.
What Information Is Available on Ohio Crash Reports
An Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) crash report (OH-1) provides a structured snapshot of the collision.
The online ODPS copy is an unofficial, read-only version and may redact some personal details.
A certified report from the investigating agency can include additional narrative and attachments.
Crash Basics
- Crash number, date, and exact time
- Location (street, milepost, city/township, county; nearest intersection)
- Manner of crash (rear-end, angle, sideswipe, head-on, single-vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle)
- Severity (fatal, injury, property-damage only)
- Units involved (passenger vehicles, motorcycles, commercial trucks, bicycles, pedestrians)
Roadway & Conditions
- Roadway type and features (surface, number of lanes, lane markings, divided/undivided, speed limit)
- Work-zone indicators and work-zone type (if applicable)
- Light, weather, and road-surface conditions (daylight/dark, rain/snow/fog, dry/wet/ice)
People & Vehicles
- Drivers and occupants (names and contact info; some details may be redacted online)
- Passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists (identifying info may be limited in the ODPS version)
- Vehicle details (year/make/model, VIN, license plate)
- Insurance information (carrier and policy number)
- Safety equipment (seatbelts, helmets), airbag deployment, child restraint use
- Injury level and EMS transport/hospital (if reported)
- Towing and vehicle disposition
Indicators That May Affect Fault
- Contributing circumstances (failure to yield, unsafe speed, following too closely, distraction)
- Commercial vehicle fields (carrier type, USDOT/MC numbers when applicable)
- Driver licensing (class and endorsements)
- Alcohol/drug testing (given/refused; results if available)
- Distraction sources (e.g., mobile device)
- Citations/tickets issued at the scene
- Hit-skip (hit-and-run) notations when applicable
Attachments & Supplemental Materials (Often with the Certified Copy)
- Officer narrative and diagram (sequence of events, impact points)
- Photographs or video references (scene, vehicles; request from the agency if available)
- Supplemental reports (updated statements, amended findings)
- Evidence references (surveillance, dash-cam/body-cam, event data recorder where applicable)
The ODPS web report is useful for quick reference, but it may not include all attachments or full personally identifiable information. For court or insurance disputes, request the certified OH-1 (and any supplements) directly from the investigating agency’s records unit.
When You May Need to File a Crash Report
If an officer responds to your crash, they complete the official OH-1 Traffic Crash Report and submit it to the state. You generally do not need to file a separate crash report in that situation. However, there are scenarios where you should file an additional report with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV):
- Uninsured At-Fault Driver — If the other driver had no insurance/financial responsibility and the crash caused any personal injury or over $400 in property damage, you may file the BMV’s Uninsured Accident Report (Form BMV 3303) within six months of the crash. This filing can trigger administrative action against the uninsured driver’s license.
- Police Did Not Respond — If no officer came to the scene (for example, minor damage on private property) and the other driver was uninsured with injury or $400+ damage, you can still use BMV 3303 to report the uninsured crash to the BMV.
- Hit-Skip (Hit-and-Run) — BMV 3303 requires identifying information for the uninsured party. If the striking driver is unknown, focus on the police report and insurance claim first; file BMV 3303 only if that driver is later identified and uninsured.
- Certified/Official Copies for Court — The crash report you can view on the ODPS website is not a certified copy. For court or insurance disputes, request a certified report directly from the investigating agency or through the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s records portal.
What You’ll Need to File BMV 3303: the crash date/location, identities of the parties, proof the other driver lacked insurance (if known), an itemized repair estimate or medical documentation (to show $400+ property damage or any injury), and at least three identifiers for the uninsured party (e.g., name, address, DOB, Ohio driver license number).
Tip: File promptly (within six months), keep copies of everything you submit, and speak with an attorney about how a BMV filing fits into your broader insurance claim or lawsuit strategy.
Need help deciding whether to file? Call 1-800-HURT-NOW for a free consultation with an Ohio car accident lawyer at KNR.
How to Get Your Ohio Crash Report
- Step 1: Search the ODPS Online Portal (Free & Unofficial)
Use the ODPS Crash Reports lookup with a last name + crash date + county, or your report/crash number. Download for your records. (Remember: not certified.)
- Step 2: Request the Certified/Official Copy
Contact the investigating agency’s records unit (the department listed on the ODPS page). Ask for a certified OH-1 for court/insurance use and any available attachments (photos, diagrams, officer narrative, supplements).
- Step 3: Gather Supporting Evidence
Alongside the report, keep your photos, body-shop estimates, medical records, and witness details. Together, these help prove liability and damages.
More on Ohio Accident Reports
How to Obtain a Crash Report in Ohio
How to Obtain a Crash Report in Fairfield County, Ohio
How to Submit a Crash Report in Franklin County
Why Your Crash Report Matters
Your OH-1 Traffic Crash Report is the first, most relied-upon record of what happened, who was involved, and how injuries and damage occurred.
Adjusters, defense lawyers, and courts use it to reconstruct fault under Ohio’s modified comparative negligence rules
(you can recover if you’re 50% or less at fault; any award is reduced by your percentage of fault). A clear, accurate report—paired with strong
supporting evidence—can be the difference between a low settlement and full, fair compensation.
How Insurers Use the OH-1
- Liability Assessment: The narrative, diagram, impact points, and “contributing circumstances” boxes (e.g., failure to yield, unsafe speed, distraction) inform the initial fault split.
- Credibility & Consistency: Adjusters compare your statements, medical records, and photos against the officer’s notes; inconsistencies are used to discount claims.
- Injury Causation: Severity coding, airbag deployment, EMS transport, and mechanism of injury (rear-end vs. angle) are weighed when valuing medical bills, pain and suffering, and future care.
- Coverage Path: Hit-skip, commercial vehicle fields, and insurance policy info guide which policies apply (at-fault liability, UM/UIM, med-pay) and in what order.
- Negotiation Leverage: Citations, testing (alcohol/drugs), and witness statements can strengthen your demand and weaken “shared fault” arguments.
How Lawyers and Courts Use the OH-1
- Evidence Roadmap: The report points to witnesses, businesses with cameras, responding agencies, and potential data sources (dash/body cam, event data recorder).
- Accident Reconstruction: Diagrams, measurements, gouge marks, debris fields, and lane designations help experts model speed, angles, and right-of-way.
- Fault Under Ohio Law: The report frames disputes under modified comparative negligence (≤50% rule) and supports motions, mediation, or trial themes.
- Damages Corroboration: EMS notes, initial complaints (neck/back/head), and mechanism of injury help link later diagnoses (e.g., concussion, disc injury) to the crash.
How to Make the Crash Report Work for You
- Get the Certified Copy: The ODPS web version is unofficial; request the certified report—and any supplements, diagrams, and photos—from the investigating agency.
- Check for Errors: Names, plates, insurance, location, lane orientation, and narrative details matter. Ask the agency about a supplemental amendment if something is wrong.
- Preserve Supporting Proof: Save scene photos/video, repair estimates, medical records, and wage documentation. These bolster or clarify items the OH-1 can’t capture.
- Act Fast on Third-Party Evidence: Nearby camera footage, 911 audio, and vehicle data can be overwritten quickly—your attorney can send preservation letters immediately.
Ohio Crash Report FAQs
How Do I Look Up a Car Accident Report in Ohio?
Use the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) online crash search to view an unofficial, read-only OH-1 report, or contact the investigating agency for a certified copy. You can search ODPS by crash number, or by date, county, agency, and last name; certified copies (often needed for court) come from the police department or sheriff’s office that handled the crash.
How Can I Find Out About Local Car Accidents?
Start with the ODPS crash search and filter by county and date, then check your local police or sheriff’s records unit for recent reports or public logs. Many departments also post incident summaries or blotters on their websites or social media; for certified reports and photos, request them directly from the agency that investigated the accident.
How Can I Check If Someone Was In An Accident?
If you know the date and county, search the ODPS database using a last name and agency; if you don’t see a result, contact the likely investigating agency’s records unit to ask about report status. Be aware that some personal information may be redacted online; a certified report from the agency typically contains more detail and attachments (e.g., narratives, diagrams).
Can You Look Up Police Reports In Ohio?
Yes—unofficial crash reports can be viewed for free through ODPS, but certified police reports must be requested from the investigating agency (city police, county sheriff, or Ohio State Highway Patrol). Availability and fees vary by agency, and supplemental materials like photos, diagrams, or officer narratives are usually obtained from the agency, not ODPS.
How Do I Get My Crash Report Online?
Go to the ODPS crash retrieval site and search by crash number or by date, county, agency, and last name. Unofficial copies are typically free and often appear within two to three weeks (it may take up to six weeks). Download or print for your records, then request a certified copy from the investigating agency if you need one for court or formal claims.
How Do I Get An Official Copy From The Highway Patrol?
If the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) investigated your crash, you can order an official copy directly from OSHP’s records portal or by contacting their records section. Reports and photos are typically posted within several business days; expect a small fee for certified reports and additional charges for photographs or media if requested.
How Do I Get A Crash Report From A Local Police Agency?
Identify the investigating department (from the ODPS listing or your incident card) and request the report from that agency’s records unit in person, by mail, or online if available. Certified copies may be available sooner than the ODPS posting; most agencies charge a modest per-page or flat fee and can advise on how to obtain photos or supplements.
Can I File My Own Report If Police Didn’t Respond?
In limited situations—such as a crash involving an uninsured driver with any injury or $400+ in property damage—you may submit the BMV 3303 Uninsured Motorist Crash Report to the Ohio BMV within six months. This is separate from an ODPS police report and can affect the uninsured driver’s license status; speak with an attorney to confirm whether filing is appropriate for your case.
Why Isn’t My Ohio Crash Report Showing Up Yet?
Reports must be completed, approved, and transmitted before ODPS posts them, which can take days to weeks depending on the agency and case complexity. If it’s time-sensitive, call the investigating agency’s records unit to verify status or to request a certified copy directly; complex crashes, injuries, or supplemental investigations can extend posting times.
Do I Need A Lawyer To Get Or Use My Crash Report?
You can retrieve the report yourself, but an attorney can secure certified copies, supplements, photos, and body/dash-cam, spot errors, and use the OH-1 to challenge fault under Ohio’s modified comparative negligence rules. If an insurer is disputing liability or undervaluing injuries, legal help often improves the outcome and preserves critical evidence early.
Contact Our Ohio Car Accident Lawyers
Immediately following an accident, you are probably not aware of your rights. You might know that you need to file an insurance claim, yet not understand what you can ask for and how to recover the maximum compensation possible. This can lead to an endless series of questions. What do you do if the insurer denies your claim? Do you have to accept the insurer’s first offer? Can you or do you need to sue?
For answers to your questions, contact the Ohio personal injury lawyers of Kisling, Nestico & Redick. We understand how complex and confusing auto accidents can become when they cause significant property damage and injuries. We will investigate the accident, including reviewing the crash report, to determine liability and explain your best court of action. We will fight for you to receive a beneficial settlement or to obtain the necessary compensation through court.
Call us today at 1-800-HURT-NOW to schedule a free consultation.
