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Getting the police report
Start with the agency that came to the scene. Crashes on freeways are often handled by the California Highway Patrol, while crashes on city streets usually go to the local police department or sheriff. The officer should give you a report number or a card. If you did not get one, call the station with the date, time and location.
California law requires the agency to release the report to anyone with a proper interest: a driver involved, an injured person, a vehicle or property owner, someone who may be liable, or an attorney who declares under penalty of perjury that they represent one of these people. The agency may charge a fee no greater than its actual cost. Reports can take some time to be ready.
Reporting the crash in the app
Report the crash through the app’s help or safety section as soon as you are able, and keep a copy of what you send. Take screenshots of the trip receipt, the driver’s name and photo, the car, the plate, and the times shown. If you exchanged messages with the driver, save them too.
The company may follow up by email or phone, and an insurance adjuster may call. You can share the basic facts of what happened. Do not give a recorded statement, guess about your injuries, or sign anything before you talk with a lawyer. What you write in the app can end up in the claim file, so keep it short and accurate.
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The company’s trip records
Rideshare companies keep their own records of each trip, such as the route, the times the driver logged in and accepted the ride, and when the ride ended. Those records can decide which insurance coverage applies, because California sets different coverage levels for a driver who is logged in and waiting and one who has accepted a ride.
You may not get these records just by asking. A lawyer can send a written request asking the company and its insurer to keep the data, and can ask for it as part of the claim. If a lawsuit is filed, the records can be sought through the court process. The earlier the request goes out, the better.
DMV reports and duties at the scene
Any driver involved in a California crash that causes injury or death must stop, give their name, address, license and registration information, and give reasonable help. Leaving the scene of an injury crash is a crime. In Washington, the same basic duties to stop, share information and help apply under RCW 46.52.020.
If you were driving and the crash caused an injury or death, or more than $1,000 in property damage, you must report it to the DMV on an SR-1 form within 10 days, whether or not you were at fault. Passengers do not file an SR-1, but they should still get the police report number and keep their own copy.
What to do now
Get medical care right away. Write down the report number, the agency and the officer’s name. Take photos of the vehicles, the scene and your injuries, and get witness names. Keep bills, receipts and pay records. Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement before you talk with a lawyer. In California, an injury lawsuit must generally be filed within two years.
Beverly Law can request the police report and the rideshare trip records for you. You owe no fees or costs unless we win. Call (310) 552-6959. Related pages: how to get a police report in California, what to do with no police report, Uber accident claims and Lyft accident claims.
Common questions
Can I get the Uber or Lyft incident report?
The company’s internal records are not always handed over just for asking. A lawyer can send a written request that the data be kept and can ask for it as part of the claim, or through the court process if a lawsuit is filed. Start with the police report, which you can request directly.
Who can get a copy of the police report?
In California, the agency must release it to people with a proper interest, such as a driver involved, an injured person, a vehicle or property owner, someone who may be liable, or their attorney. The fee cannot be more than the agency’s actual cost.
Do I need to report an Uber accident to the DMV?
If you were driving one of the cars and the crash caused an injury or death, or more than $1,000 in property damage, you must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, whether or not you were at fault. Passengers do not file one.
What if the police did not come to the scene?
You can still contact the local police or CHP to ask about making a report, and you should report the crash in the app. Take photos, get witness names, and keep your own notes. A lawyer can help gather other evidence, such as video and trip data.
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If you were hurt in a car or truck crash in California and Washington, talk to a personal injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Uber accident claims: how the insurance works · Lyft accident claims: coverage, steps and deadlines · Uber passenger injured: who pays your bills? · A Lyft driver hit me while I was driving: what now? · Rideshare driver between rides: whose insurance applies? · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.