What You Need to Know About Filing a Traffic Crash Report in Illinois

Whether you are involved in a light or heavy traffic accident, you must file a crash report with the Illinois Department of Transportation (DOT) within 10 days. As a rule, you don’t have to file a report if the accident caused $1,500 worth of damages, but the rules can change if you were partially responsible for the incident. If you fail to file a report before the deadline, you may have to pay a hefty fine and lose your driver’s license.

Why You Should File a Traffic Report ASAP

The accident report can be filed by either the driver, the police officers who arrive at the scene or passengers. You should file a report as soon as possible so you can use it as proof for a personal injury case, which will allow you to get compensated for your medical bills and wages you lost during your recovery. You can also receive compensation for emotional trauma you suffered. Here are a few reasons why this is important:

• You can correct discrepancies in the crash report before the insurance companies receive
• Your insurance company can use it to prove your claims
• Your attorney will be able to move your case forward much sooner if they have the report

How to File a Crash Report

To file the report, you need to complete the Motorist Crash Report and give it to IDOT. Here is some information that should be included:

• The location and time of the crash
• The name, date of birth and address of everyone involved in the accident. This includes individuals who are insured
• The license plate number of the vehicles involved, and the state of the people involved
• The names and addresses of registered motorists who were involved in the accident
• Details about the crash

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash, get in touch with the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens for a free consultation. We represent traffic victims in Chicago, Libertyville, Woodstock, Waukegan and Antioch. With more than two decades of experience in auto accident claims, our team of professionals will leave no stone unturned to ensure you receive justice. This includes aggressive representation against the at-fault driver’s insurance company who will try and deny or reduce your claim. Just look at our case files available on our website and see our success rate for yourself.