How to Read a North Carolina Police Report

The police report can be critical in seeking compensation after an accident due to another’s negligence. But what should you be looking for?
The official name of the report for where police document their findings when investigating a motor vehicle crash is DMV 349. There are various sections of the report, and you should know what to look for. Errors are always possible.
First Page of the Report
The report is two pages long. At the top of the first page is where the accident location is recorded, including city, state, county, and road. In the middle of this first page is where the information is recorded for each involved driver and vehicle owner.
At the bottom of the page, the officer should record the names of any passengers involved in the wreck. This is important information that is commonly left out by the officer on scene. Finally, it’s important to note that there are many boxes with numbers in them on this page and the next one of the report. You need a key to figure out those numbers, and that’s something your attorney can help you with.
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Page Two of the Police Report
Aside from more numbers that are difficult to decipher, page two of the report has an area up top for the officer’s impressions of how fast each driver was going. Further down, there is a section for the officer to diagram what they believe happened. This is just the officer’s opinion as they did not observe the accident.
Below that, the officer will write a narrative of what they think happened. If anything is off in the officer’s characterization of what happened, let your attorney know. At the bottom of page two are spots for additional witnesses and for documenting traffic violations. Even if the at-fault driver does not receive a traffic violation, don’t be alarmed. Fault and the requirements for a traffic violation are not the same thing.
As you review the report for errors, remember that the officer’s opinions are not the be all and end all. If you identify any errors, be sure to tell your attorney. It is possible to get errors corrected and to have a supplemental report issued.
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