Ohio Crash Reports: Highway Patrol, Police and Insurance Rules
Who has your crash report, what drivers must report, insurance rules and traffic deaths in Ohio.
With so many major routes carrying traffic between cities, crashes can happen anywhere along the way. If you have been in one, the place where it happened is important because Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, local police officers, and sheriff’s deputies all handle crash reports, and the agency that responds will usually determine where you need to go to get a copy.
Who Has Your Ohio Crash Report
Ohio law gives the Ohio State Highway Patrol every crash on roads outside city and village limits under Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) section 5503.02, and troopers also patrol the Ohio Turnpike. Inside a city or village, the local police department usually takes the report. Some county sheriff’s offices take crash reports as well, and four of them are in the table below.
Highway Patrol reports, including crashes troopers investigate on the Turnpike, are sold online through the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s crash report ordering site. A report costs $4, the fee set by R.C. section 5502.12, plus a card service fee of 1.95% (at least $1.75). Wait at least seven business days after the crash before you search, and save the file within 72 hours of buying it. Crash photos cost $4 to download or $12 on a DVD, and the site keeps reports and photos for five years.
Online orders take a credit or debit card, Google Pay, or PayPal. If you can’t finish an order online, call OSHP Central Records at (614) 466-3536 or write to Ohio State Highway Patrol Central Records, PO Box 182074, Columbus, OH 43218-2074.
State law gives copies to anyone claiming an interest arising from the crash, or to their attorney. It also lets the Department of Public Safety hold back trooper reports, statements, and photos until any criminal prosecution is over.
Reports from every Ohio agency also land in the state’s free Ohio Crash Retrieval system, where you can look one up by crash number, or by date, county, and agency. A report can take up to six weeks to appear there. The state calls these copies unofficial, for statistics only and not for court, so get an official copy from the agency that investigated.
Don’t want to deal with the forms, or not sure which agency took your report? We can get a copy of your report for you at no cost.
Police Reports From Major Ohio Cities and Counties
Under R.C. section 5502.12, a local agency charges $4 for a crash report copy unless its county commissioners approve a different amount. Toledo police, Cleveland police, and the Butler County Sheriff point people to the free state search, and the others release reports through a records office or an outside vendor:
| Agency | How to request | Fee |
| Columbus Division of Police | Report Request Submission Form online, or the Public Records Unit, 120 Marconi Blvd. | Free online; $0.05 per printed page |
| Cleveland Division of Police | State Crash Retrieval search; copies through the city’s public records portal or the Justice Center, 1300 Ontario St. | Free online; $0.05 per printed page |
| Cincinnati Police Department | Online records request, or Police Records, 801 Linn St., once the report is approved | $0.05 per printed page |
| Toledo Police Department | State Crash Retrieval search | Free |
| Franklin County Sheriff’s Office | Public Records Office by email, phone or fax, with the request form | $4 and $0.05 per printed page, plus postage if mailed |
| Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office | CrashDocs online with your report number, or the Bureau of Records at 513-946-6220 | Set at request |
| Butler County Sheriff’s Office | State Crash Retrieval search, allow up to 5 days; or Central Records, 705 Hanover St., Hamilton | Free online; $4 cash in person |
| Lucas County Sheriff’s Office | Request form to the Records Bureau | Free online; physical copies have 10 free pages, then $0.10 per page |
Columbus also lets drivers file a crash report online. Those reports get no investigative follow-up, serve documentation and insurance purposes, and are emailed to you once processed.
What Ohio Drivers Must Report
Under R.C. section 4549.02, a driver in any crash on a public road must stop at once and stay until giving their name, address, and plate number, plus the owner’s name and address if someone else owns the car.
That information goes to anyone hurt, the other driver or owner, and any officer at the scene. If an injured person can’t take it down, the driver must notify the nearest police agency and wait for an officer, unless an ambulance or other emergency vehicle takes them away.
Hit a parked car with nobody in it, and you must leave the same details in writing somewhere the owner will see them. If the other driver had no insurance, you can send the Bureau of Motor Vehicles a written report within six months of the crash under R.C. section 4509.06. The BMV then gives that driver 30 days to show proof of coverage.
Ohio Insurance Rules After a Crash
Ohio drivers must carry at least $25,000 for injury or death to one person, $50,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage under R.C. section 4509.51, current version in effect since December 22, 2013. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is optional: the law lets insurers include it and does not require it under R.C. section 3937.18.
Ohio is an at-fault state with no personal injury protection requirement. The driver who caused the crash, through their liability coverage, pays the other side’s losses. Under R.C. section 2315.33, you can still recover if your share of the fault is no greater than everyone else’s combined, and your damages shrink by your own percentage, so a driver more than 50% at fault recovers nothing.
Ohio Traffic Deaths by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| People killed in traffic crashes (preliminary) | 1,125, down about 3% | 2025 | Ohio State Highway Patrol |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 1,157 | 2024 | Ohio State Highway Patrol |
| People killed who were not wearing an available seat belt (preliminary) | nearly 2,500 people | 2021 to 2025 | Ohio State Highway Patrol |
| Deaths in crashes with an alcohol-impaired driver | 424 (37%) | 2024 | NHTSA |
| Motorcyclists killed | 222 | 2024 | NHTSA |
| Pedestrians killed | 122 | 2024 | NHTSA |
The Highway Patrol’s preliminary 2025 count marked the fourth straight year of fewer traffic deaths in Ohio.
Ohio Crash Guides by City and County
At Local Accident Reports, we cover crashes and other accidents across the country, working county by county and city by city. From car and motorcycle crashes to commercial and residential fires, our goal is to keep people informed about the incidents happening in communities nationwide.
Ohio is no exception. With 88 counties and 253 cities, there is always something happening on the state’s roads and beyond. We track those incidents to help drivers and commuters stay informed, but our coverage goes a step further. We also help readers get to know the places they travel through, from major highways and busy roads to intersections where crashes are more likely to occur. That way, they can better understand local traffic conditions and what to watch for when getting behind the wheel.
Here, you’ll find the latest accident reports from across Ohio, covering communities throughout the state, along with guides to some of its most important cities and the roads that connect them.
City crash guides: Columbus, OH
County accident news: Franklin County · Hamilton County · Lucas County · Montgomery County · Summit County · Cuyahoga County · Delaware County · Mahoning County
Intersections and road stretches with high crash counts around the state are listed on our Ohio dangerous intersections page.
Help After a Crash
- Local Accident Reports. After a crash, we can connect you with local help, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. Contact our team.
- Ohio Crime Victims Compensation Run by the Attorney General, it repays out-of-pocket costs such as medical bills, lost wages, and funerals, up to $50,000, for victims of crimes reported to police. Crashes caused by a drunk or drugged (OVI) driver can qualify, as can a hit-and-run crash that seriously injures someone. File within three years of the crash.
- MADD Ohio Free support for people hurt by drunk or drugged drivers and their families. 24-hour help line: 877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435).
- 911. Call 911 after a crash for support.
- Trauma centers. Ohio’s trauma and burn centers are on the state EMS division’s trauma center map and list.
Ohio Crash Questions
How do I get an Ohio State Highway Patrol crash report?
Buy it on the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s crash ordering site at ohtrafficdata.dps.ohio.gov for $4 plus a card fee of 1.95% (at least $1.75). Wait at least seven business days after the crash. OSHP Central Records in Columbus, (614) 466-3536, helps people who can’t order online.
Can I look up an Ohio crash report online for free?
Yes. The state’s Ohio Crash Retrieval search carries reports from every Ohio police agency, searchable by crash number or by date, county, and agency, though a report can take up to six weeks to show up. Those copies are unofficial, so request an official one from the agency that investigated.
Is Ohio a no-fault state?
No. Ohio is an at-fault state, and drivers must carry liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property. You can recover from the at-fault driver as long as you were not more than 50% to blame, minus your share.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Ohio?
Two years for injury claims under R.C. section 2305.10 and two years from the date of death for wrongful death claims under section 2125.02. A lawsuit against a city, county, or other political subdivision also has a two-year limit under section 2744.04, as does a claim against the state in the Court of Claims under section 2743.16.
Recent Ohio Crash Coverage
Fatal Four-Vehicle Crash on South State St in Marion, OH
Fatal Rear-End Crash on US-62 in Hillsboro, OH
One Killed, One Injured in Two-Vehicle Collision on County Rd D in Clinton Twp., OH
Three Hurt in Multi-Vehicle Crash on N Dayton Lakeview Rd in New Carlisle, OH
Fatal Head-on Crash on SR 613 in Van Buren Township, OH
The full archive is at Ohio accident news, and recent accident alerts follow new crashes nationwide as they are reported.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.