A crash on a Southern California freeway can leave you trying to solve several problems at once: pain that may be getting worse, a damaged vehicle, calls from insurance adjusters, and questions about what the California Highway Patrol recorded. If that sounds familiar, obtaining the CHP collision report is an important step toward understanding what happened and documenting your claim.
This guide explains how the CHP 190 request process works, what information may appear in the report, and what to do if the report is incomplete or disputed. It is general information, not legal advice for any particular case.
What Is a CHP 190 Collision Report Request?
CHP 190 is the California Highway Patrol form used to request the release of a CHP collision report or investigation. According to the California Highway Patrol, a driver, passenger, vehicle owner, property owner, parent of a minor, legal guardian, insurer, or authorized legal representative may qualify as a party of interest.
The form asks for identifying information such as the collision date, location, driver or vehicle owner, report number if known, and the applicant’s relationship to the crash.
When CHP Usually Handles the Accident
CHP commonly investigates collisions on California freeways and state highways. In Southern California, that may include crashes on Interstate 5, Interstate 10, Interstate 15, Interstate 405, US 101, State Route 60, State Route 91, and other state routes. A city police department or county agency may handle collisions on local streets.
If you are not sure which agency investigated your accident, look for the agency name on the information card you received at the scene, contact the nearest CHP area office, or ask your insurance company or attorney to help identify the correct agency.
How to Request Your CHP Accident Report
- Gather the collision details. Note the date, approximate time, freeway or highway, direction of travel, nearest exit or cross street, involved drivers, and report number if available.
- Complete the CHP 190 form. Select the one party-of-interest category that applies to you and sign the request.
- Include identification. CHP instructs applicants to include a copy of a driver’s license or other photo identification. If no qualifying photo ID is available, the request may need notarization.
- Submit the request and fee. You may submit the form to the CHP area office that investigated the crash. CHP also states that any CHP office can help obtain a report or arrange for it to be mailed.
- Keep a copy. Save the completed request, proof of payment, and any correspondence for your records.
What Information May Appear in the Report?
A CHP collision report may include the drivers and vehicles involved, insurance information, witness statements, a diagram, roadway and weather conditions, vehicle damage, injuries reported at the scene, and the investigating officer’s observations. In some cases, the report may include a narrative about how the collision occurred or list an apparent traffic violation.
The report can be valuable evidence, but it is not always the final word on legal fault. Officers may not witness the crash, evidence can be missed, and symptoms may develop after everyone leaves the scene.
What If the Report Contains an Error?
Read the report carefully. Check names, license plates, insurance details, locations, vehicle positions, witness information, and statements attributed to you. If something is inaccurate, preserve documents that support the correction, such as photographs, dashcam video, medical records, repair estimates, or witness contact information.
Do not alter the report yourself. Ask the investigating agency about its procedure for submitting supplemental information or requesting a correction. An attorney can also evaluate whether an error matters to the injury or property-damage claim and help present contrary evidence to the insurer.
A CHP Report Is Not the Same as an SR-1
Many drivers assume the police report satisfies every reporting obligation. It does not. The California DMV says an SR-1 must be submitted within 10 days when anyone is injured or killed, or when property damage exceeds $1,000. The SR-1 is required in addition to reports made to CHP, another police agency, or an insurer.
Protect Your Health and Your Claim While You Wait
You do not need to wait for the report before addressing urgent problems. Seek appropriate medical evaluation, follow treatment recommendations, photograph visible injuries and vehicle damage, keep receipts, save towing and rental-car records, and avoid guessing about fault in a recorded insurance statement.
If pain, headaches, dizziness, numbness, anxiety, or reduced mobility developed after the crash, tell a qualified medical professional when the symptoms began and how they affect your daily activities. Consistent, truthful documentation can help connect the treatment history to the collision.
When a Southern California Freeway Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you were injured, the vehicle is badly damaged, several drivers are blaming one another, or the insurer is disputing the CHP report, you do not have to manage the process alone. The L.A. Law Firm can obtain and review the report, preserve other evidence, coordinate communications with insurers, and evaluate both bodily-injury and property-damage issues.
Call (866) 383-1462 for a free consultation. We help accident victims throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and surrounding Southern California communities. You can also learn more from our Los Angeles car accident lawyers.
This article provides general information and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and reporting duties can depend on the facts of your case.
