What Do Police Actually Do After Auto Accidents?

It’s a well-known fact that you should contact law enforcement after a collision of any size, but many people don’t know what to expect after police officers arrive at the scene. Officers have a variety of responsibilities to fulfill at a crash site, both clerical and functional, so take a moment to familiarize yourself with what they’ll likely do after your Nevada car accident.

Providing Guidance and Law Enforcement

A police officer’s role in an auto accident often goes beyond the strict formalities required of them, as they do tend to be familiar with traffic law and accidents in general. If you haven’t been in an accident before, you might not be familiar with the normal proceedings following a collision, which is perfectly fine; police officers can provide basic guidance and walk you through the process. If your phone is broken, police officers can help you contact friends or family, securing a ride home for you if needed.

Police officers can also ensure you don’t mistakenly break the law after the collision, especially in regards to hit and run accidents, which can be surprisingly easy to commit even without “fleeing” the scene of the crash. By ensuring you adhere to Nevada’s post-accident motorist responsibilities, you can avoid committing a crime inadvertently. If you have any questions about your other legal responsibilities after an accident, make sure to contact a car accident attorney in Las Vegas to get the answers you need.

If someone has indeed broken the law, officers will assess the evidence available to them and determine if any traffic citations need to be issued on the spot. Similarly, if a driver appears to be intoxicated or impaired, officers may have them take a field sobriety test, and then take them into custody as needed. Note that receiving a traffic citation does not automatically make you at fault for the collision, although it may play a role in future determinations of liability (for example, a speeding citation can be directly linked to an accident’s severity, making you partially liable under Nevada’s comparative fault system). 

Filing Incident Police Reports

One of the most valuable services police officers provide after an auto accident is the filing of an incident police report, which contains a host of valuable evidence pertaining to most aspects of the accident, such as:

• The time and location of the collision.
• The number, types, and conditions of all vehicles involved.
• Weather and roadway conditions at the time.
• Whether or not citations were served.
• The general status of all involved parties.
• Formal statements from all involved parties and witnesses.

Due to this wealth of information, it’s extremely valuable to request a copy of your official incident police report in the weeks following your accident; doing so requires only a minimal fee, and will become a valuable part of your permanent records and body of evidence for your case.

Consult a Nevada Accident Attorney 

If you’ve been in an accident, it’s a good idea to give us a call at (702) 550-1111 to talk to one of Aaron Law Group’s Nevada accident lawyers. We have the legal experience necessary to accurately advise you on your next steps, ensuring that you can reach a satisfying, fair, and legally sound conclusion for your compensation. At times, police officers may also be asked to testify in court or attend a deposition under oath; we can help you with both outcomes, ensuring that you get all the information necessary from the officer who responded to your case.