Traffic Accidents
When to Report a Crash
Regardless of fault, each driver involved in an Illinois traffic crash must file a crash report if the crash caused a death, bodily injury, or more than $1,500 of property damage when all drivers are insured. If any driver does not have insurance, the threshold remains $500. If a police officer does not appear on the scene, you need to file a report with the local police department, sheriff's office, or Illinois State Police as soon as possible.Regardless of fault, a crash report must be filed by the driver of a vehicle if the crash involves death, bodily injury or property damage over $500.
Notify the police immediately. Many towns and cities require a report if a crash occurs within their limits. Therefore, if an officer is not at the scene of the crash, a report must be made at the nearest police station as soon as possible. If in a rural area, the county sheriff or Illinois State Police must be notified. If the driver is unable to make the report and there is a passenger, the passenger must make the report.
Additional IDOT Reporting Requirements
Illinois statute (625 ILCS 5/11-408) requires that crash reports be submitted to the Illinois Department of Transportation within 10 days after investigation of the motor vehicle accident. Motorists have two options for submittal:
- Paper reports provided by the law enforcement officer at the time of incident or obtained from an auto insurance agency can be mailed or hand delivered to IDOT (at the address provided on the report), or
- Submittal can be done electronically online through IDOT's crash reporting portal.