How to Read Your Georgia Motor Vehicle Accident Report

One of the most important documents you’ll receive after a car accident in Georgia is the Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report. This two-page report, completed by the responding police officers, includes information that directly impacts your insurance claim and any legal action you choose to pursue. However, the report is filled with shorthand codes, technical fields, and observations that aren’t easy to interpret, especially when you’re already dealing with injuries, emotional stress, and/or vehicle damage.

Our experienced Atlanta car accident lawyers at Hoffspiegel Law have prepared this concise handbook, breaking down what’s inside the report, how to obtain it, and why it matters if you’re seeking compensation.

How to Obtain an Accident Report in Georgia

Georgia law requires a crash report to be filed when an accident results in injury, death, or more than $500 in property damage. If police respond to the accident scene, investigating officers will usually complete the report within 3-7 business days.

You can request a copy through:

• The local law enforcement agency that investigated the crash
• The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) by mail
• Online through BuyCrash.com, a state-approved vendor

You’ll need basic details like the date of the crash, location, and the names of involved parties. Reports may be delayed or missing supplemental pages, and in some cases, you might receive only the front side of the report. Working with an attorney makes certain you get the full report, including any diagrams, witness notes, and continuation sheets that you might overlook on your own.

What Are the Key Sections of the Motor Vehicle Accident Report in Georgia?

The Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report contains two main pages, sometimes followed by a continuation sheet if more space is needed.

Page One: Coded Data

The first page is mostly structured data and codes:

• Basic crash info: date, time, location, weather conditions, and road surface
• Vehicles involved: make, model, VIN, and license plate numbers
• Drivers: names, license numbers, insurance companies
• Airbag deployment: whether and how airbags were deployed during the crash
• Alcohol or drug test given: includes “Yes,” “No,” or “Refused” and test type
• Contributing factors: codes indicating suspected causes like distracted driving, speeding, or driver fatigue
• Property damage severity: from minor to disabling
• Citations issued: traffic violations that may indicate fault

Page Two: Officer Descriptions

The second page features the officer’s description of the crash:

• A diagram of the accident scene
• The direction of travel and points of initial contact on the vehicles
• Notes on any witnesses, injuries, and hospital transports
• Any additional property damage beyond the vehicles

Although the reporting officer’s narrative is based on factual observations at the accident scene, it may include preliminary assumptions about who was at fault. For instance, they might reference a driver “failing to maintain lane” or “following too closely,” language that insurance companies like to treat as definitive. Don’t worry: this narrative is not legally binding, and if the facts seem incomplete or biased, a lawyer can help obtain a supplemental report or correct the record.

Continuation Sheet

In more complex or severe crashes, officers may attach a continuation sheet. This additional page might include extended remarks, more detailed scene diagrams, or added witness information. If you’re reviewing your accident report, be sure to ask for all pages, since missing even one can lead to misunderstandings about what the officer concluded.

Understanding Key Codes and Categories

Many parts of the report use numerical codes instead of plain language. These are explained in the “overlay sheet” used by law enforcement, used to decode the numbered fields found throughout the report. Without it, entries for airbag deployment, vehicle maneuvers, injury severity, and impact location can be difficult to interpret. If you didn’t receive a copy, your Atlanta car accident lawyer can obtain one or decode the fields for you during case review.

Here are some key sections to know:

Airbag Deploys

Each occupant has an airbag code:

• 1 = deployed front airbag
• 3 = deployed side
• 5 = deployed multiple directions
• 0 = no airbag in seat

Airbag deployment might indicate a more severe impact, which supports injury claims.

Alcohol Test

If a test was administered, the officer will mark:

• Yes
• No
• Refused

Refusal to submit to a test may still help show potential intoxication, especially when combined with other officer-observed behavior.

Contributing Factors

This section highlights driver behaviors or conditions that may have led to the crash. Common examples include:

• Distracted driving (e.g., phone use)
• Speeding
• Following too closely
• Failure to yield
• Vehicle malfunction

If the officer marked one of these next to the other driver’s name, that may help support your case.

Property Damage

Damage levels are recorded as:

• None
• Minor
• Functional
• Disabling
• Fire present

This can affect whether a vehicle is considered totaled and how the insurance company values your claim.

Area Of Initial Contact

Numbered like positions on a clock, this code shows where the vehicle was hit:

• 6 = Rear-end
• 12 = Front impact
• 3 or 9 = Side impact
• 0 = Vehicle overturned

This helps clarify how the crash occurred, especially in intersection collisions or lane-change incidents.

Need Help With Your Accident Report? Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you were in a car crash and have questions about your Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report, or need guidance on what to do next, an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer can help. Contact Hoffspiegel Law today for a free consultation; there’s no obligation, and no fee unless we win.