Utah Car Accident Police Reports: Everything You Need to Know

A Utah car accident police report can document key details about a crash, including the people and vehicles involved, the crash location, witness information, officer observations, and other investigative information. 

Utah law may require you to notify law enforcement after a crash. If a police officer has investigated your accident, you may be able to request the accident report and related records. Additionally, state law also gives certain people involved in a crash the right to obtain an accident report, subject to specific exceptions.

This guide explains when a Utah car accident police report may be required, how to request a Utah accident report, what the DI-9 contains, what to do if the report is incorrect, and whether you can pursue an insurance claim without one.

Utah Car Accident Police Report: Quick Guide 

Here’s a quick overview of Utah’s car accident police report requirements and what to expect:

Do You Need a Police Report After Every Car Accident in Utah?

No, because not all car accidents require the same reporting steps. Utah law sets different duties depending on whether the crash involves injury, death, or property damage. 

Utah law imposes different duties depending on the circumstances of the crash. When an accident involves injury or death, additional reporting and scene-related duties apply. When an accident results in apparent property damage of $2,500 or more, Utah law also requires the driver to notify the nearest law-enforcement agency by the quickest available means.

So, if you’re still unsure what to do immediately after a crash, you can see our detailed guide on how to report a car accident in Utah.

What Does Utah Law Require After a Car Accident?

Utah’s accident laws place different duties on drivers and law-enforcement officers depending on the type of crash. Like:

• Injury or Death

When a crash involves an injury or death, drivers have to follow additional duties under Utah’s traffic laws. These can include stopping at the scene, providing information, and staying at the scene while fulfilling the applicable requirements.

If you are hurt, seek medical attention even if your symptoms initially seem minor. Some injuries may become more noticeable hours or days after a collision.

• $2,500+ Property Damage

If an accident results in property damage of an apparent extent of $2,500 or more, Utah Code § 41-6a-401 requires the driver to immediately notify the nearest law-enforcement agency by the quickest available means.

The driver also has to follow the duty to exchange identifying and insurance information with other people involved in the crash.

• Minor Crashes

Low-speed collisions or minor-looking crashes may not require the same law-enforcement response as a major car accident involving significant damage, injury, or death.

For a minor collision, law enforcement may not create the same type of investigative record as it would for a crash involving serious injuries, death, or significant property damage. 

In these situations, you can protect yourself by documenting what has happened. 

For Example

• Take photographs
• Save dashcam footage
• Exchange information with the at-fault driver/witnesses
• Keep records of repairs and medical treatment 
• Try to save your communications with the other driver’s insurer

What is the Difference Between Reporting a Crash and Getting a Police Report?

Reporting a car accident and obtaining a copy of the accident report are two different steps.

• Reporting the crash means notifying law enforcement when Utah law requires you to do so. An officer may investigate the scene and create an accident report in qualifying accidents.
• Obtaining the report means requesting a copy of the record after it has been created. Utah Highway Patrol provides a process for requesting crash and police reports through its records system.

This distinction matters because calling the police does not necessarily mean you will receive the completed report immediately.

How Do You Get a Utah Car Accident Police Report?

First determine which law-enforcement agency investigated the crash to obtain a Utah car accident police report.

Identify The Investigating Agency

Start with the location of the accident. A crash investigated by the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) may be requested through UHP’s records process. A collision investigated by a city police department or county sheriff’s office may require a request directly to that agency.

Remember, the city where you live is not necessarily the agency that holds the report. If you received a case number, exchange form, incident card, or other paperwork at the scene, check it for the agency name and report number.

Gather The Crash Information

Before requesting the report, you should gather as much of the following information as you have:

• Your name and contact information
• Date of the car accident
• Approximate time of the crash
• Exact location, road, intersection, or highway
• Case or report number, if available
• Names of drivers involved
• Vehicle information
• Your connection to the accident

A case number can make the search easier, but you may still be able to begin a request without one.

Submit The Request

The investigating agency will determine how you can request the record. UHP currently directs records requests through its GovQA portal for Utah Highway Patrol crash reports.

For UHP crash reports, the current process is:

1. UHP states that requesters must create an account and verify their identity. 
2. Then, they should submit information including the date, location, and case number if known.
3. The agency sends an email notification when the report is ready for download. 

Local police departments and county sheriff’s offices may have their own online records portals, forms, or other request procedures.

Save The Request Confirmation

Keep the request confirmation, case number, emails, payment records, and the copy of the report you receive. If the report is needed for an insurance claim or injury case, you can keep the original electronic file.

Who Can Request a Utah Accident Report?

Utah accident reports are protected records rather than unrestricted public records. Utah Code § 41-6a-404 states that the responsible law-enforcement agency must disclose an unredacted accident report that is subject to the statute to certain people. 

Utah accident reports are protected records, not unrestricted public records. People involved in an accident and people who suffered loss or injury may be entitled to obtain the report. 

Certain authorized agents, including attorneys and insurers, may also request accident records under the statute. The statute also provides rules for certain government agencies, law-enforcement personnel, members of the press, and qualifying private investigators. 

If you were involved in the crash, identify your connection to the accident when making the request. The agency may require information needed to verify your identity or eligibility. 

Utah law also permits an agency to redact a person’s address or phone number in certain circumstances when disclosure could endanger that person’s life or physical safety.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Police Report in Utah?

There is no single number of days that applies to every Utah crash report. Although Utah law provides a 10-business-day disclosure period for qualifying written requests, the actual timing can vary depending on whether the report has been completed and whether a statutory exception applies. 

Utah Code § 41-6a-404 states that, when someone qualifies for a written request, the responsible law-enforcement agency must disclose the accident report and accompanying data within 10 business days, subject to statutory exceptions. 

However, an agency may withhold the report or accompanying data if disclosure would risk an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution.

For Example

An agency may withhold an accident report or accompanying data if disclosure would jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution. This is why it is better to avoid promising that every Utah accident report will be available within three or five business days.

If your request is delayed, you should contact the agency that is handling the record and ask whether the report has been completed or not. You can also ask whether additional information is needed, or whether a statutory exception applies.

What is a DI-9 Utah Crash Report?

“DI-9” is a term commonly associated with Utah’s crash-reporting system and crash data. Utah’s Highway Safety Office says crash information is now entered electronically and that there is no longer a paper DI-9 form.

A Utah crash report can contain information about the crash location, vehicles, drivers, injuries, road conditions, witnesses, diagrams, and the investigating officer’s observations. The exact information available can vary depending on the crash and the investigation.

What Information is in a Utah Accident Report?

The record may include the following information depending on the crash and the data collected during the investigation:

• Date and time of the accident
• Location of the crash
• Driver and passenger information
• Vehicle information
• Insurance information
• Witness information
• Road and weather conditions
• Officer observations
• Injury information
• Vehicle damage
• Photographs
• Video or other investigative material

Utah Code § 41-6a-404 specifically defines “accompanying data” to include witness information, witness statements, photographs, surveillance or camera footage, diagrams, and field notes gathered by the investigating officer.

How Do You Read a Utah Crash Report or DI-9? 

DI-9 is a term historically associated with Utah’s crash reporting system. Utah’s crash information is now entered electronically, so the report a person receives may not appear as a traditional paper DI-9 form. 

Here are some basic facts:

1. Check the crash date and time.
2. Confirm the location.
3. Check the names of the drivers and other listed parties.
4. Review the vehicle information.
5. Look at the diagram and direction of travel.
6. Review the injury information.
7. Check the citations and other listed circumstances.
8. Read the officer’s narrative.
9. Compare the narrative with the diagram and coded sections.

Pay particular attention to factual details that can be verified independently. For example, if the report lists the wrong intersection, vehicle, lane, or driver’s information, gather the documentation that shows the correct information.

What Should You Do If Your Utah Police Report Is Wrong?

If you find an error in your Utah police report, first identify exactly what is incorrect. The common factual issues may include:

• Factual Errors

A factual error is different from a disagreement with an officer’s interpretation. For example, an incorrect street name or misspelled name may be a straightforward factual issue.

The process for correcting or supplementing a report can vary by agency, so check with the investigating agency about whether it accepts supplemental information or correction requests. 

• Disagreement with Officer’s Conclusions

You may disagree with how the officer interpreted the car accident. That does not necessarily mean the agency will change the officer’s conclusion. Instead, preserve the evidence supporting your version of events.

You can also provide relevant evidence to your insurer or attorney so the claim file contains the information that may not appear in the original report.

• Supporting Evidence

If the report has an important error, you should keep the following evidence:

• The original report
• Your written description of the error
• Photographs
• Dashcam or surveillance video
• Witness information
• Medical records
• Vehicle-damage evidence
• Relevant insurance communications

Do not edit the original police report yourself. Keep the original intact and make a separate copy for your notes.

Can You File an Insurance Claim Without a Police Report?

Yes, a missing police report does not automatically prevent you from filing an insurance claim. However, you may need other car accident evidence to document the crash, your injuries, vehicle damage, and other losses. 

However, a missing police report does not automatically prevent an insurer from opening a claim. If no report exists, you need to provide other evidence showing what happened and documenting your losses. 

Depending on the circumstances, that may include:

• Photos and videos from the crash
• Dashcam footage
• Witness names and contact information
• Vehicle repair estimates
• Medical records and bills
• Photographs of injuries
• Documentation of lost income
• Insurance correspondence
• 911 or other available records

The important issue is not simply whether a police report exists. An insurer may need information about the crash, the people involved, the damage, injuries, and losses being claimed.

If Utah law required the crash to be reported but no report was made, the situation can get more complicated. In that situation, you may want to speak with a Utah car accident attorney about your options.

Can a Utah Police Report Be Used as Evidence?

Utah law contains a specific rule about the use of accident reports in court. Under Utah Code § 41-6a-404, accident reports generally may not be used as evidence in a civil or criminal trial arising from the accident, but the statute provides exceptions.

The same law provides that the Department of Public Safety must furnish a certificate upon demand showing whether a specified accident report was made or not. And, if it was made, does it provide information about the accident and people involved? 

The statute also contains specific exceptions involving prosecution of certain offenses and other circumstances. This is one reason it is important not to assume that “the police report proves fault.”

The underlying investigation can still contain important information. Utah’s statutory definition of an accident report and accompanying data includes materials like photographs, witness statements, video, diagrams, and field notes.

If you have a serious injury claim, a car accident attorney can evaluate how the report and other investigative materials may be obtained and used under the applicable rules.

Final Thoughts

A Utah car accident police report can be useful when dealing with an insurance claim or injury case. But it is only one piece of evidence that can help you in your insurance or personal injury claim.

Start by identifying the agency that investigated your crash and requesting the report from them. Review it for factual errors, and preserve photos, videos, witness information, medical records, and other evidence.

If you were injured and need help understanding how the police report fits into your Utah injury claim, Cockayne Law can help you understand your options and the evidence that may matter to your case.