Washington Collision Reports: State Patrol, Police and Accident Rules
Who has your crash report, what drivers must report, insurance rules and traffic deaths in Washington.
Meanwhile, I-90 carries traffic east from Seattle through Bellevue to Spokane and the Idaho border, while I-82 connects communities across the Yakima Valley and the Tri-Cities. With so many drivers traveling these major routes, crashes can happen anywhere along the way. Washington State Patrol troopers handle collisions on interstates and state routes, while city police and county deputies respond to crashes on local roads.
No matter which agency responds to your accident, knowing where to find the report is the next step, and the following section explains where to look.
Who Has Your Washington Crash Report
Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers patrol 17,524 miles of interstates and state routes across eight districts, and city police and sheriff’s deputies respond to crashes on local roads. When a driver files a report with a police chief or sheriff, RCW 46.52.030 requires that office to forward the original to the State Patrol right away. Seattle Police put it plainly: the State Patrol is the custodian of all collision reports in Washington.
WSP collision reports are ordered online through WRECR (Washington State Patrol Requests for Electronic Collision Records) at wrecr.wsp.wa.gov. Search by the name of anyone involved and the collision date; when the report turns up, it displays and you finish the purchase. Each copy costs $10.50. Officers have 2 to 4 weeks to complete a report and get it approved by a supervisor, so it can take that long to appear, though most show up sooner.
The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) section 46.52.080 entitles certain people to an unredacted copy: the drivers or their legal guardians, the parent of a minor driver, anyone injured, owners of damaged vehicles or property, and the authorized representative, attorney, or insurer of any of them. Anyone else can still order the report, with personal details redacted under the Public Records Act.
To order by mail, send WSP’s Request for Copy of Collision Report (form 3000-345-008) with a $10.50 check or money order payable to the Washington State Patrol, to Collision Records Section, P.O. Box 42628, Olympia, WA 98504-2628. Cash is not accepted.
The Collision Records office at 106 11th Avenue Southwest, Suite 1300, in Olympia sees visitors by appointment only, takes cards at a kiosk, and answers at (360) 570-2355. Certified copies usually take 5 to 7 business days.
Crashes on the state’s toll routes, including the SR 520 Bridge, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the SR 99 tunnel, and the I-405 and SR 167 express toll lanes, go through WRECR too, since WSP holds collision reports from anywhere in the state.
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 Washington Cities
Five of the departments we checked send collision report requests straight to WRECR. Spokane, Vancouver, and Bellevue police also run their own records requests:
| Department | How to request | Fee |
| Seattle Police | WRECR | $10.50 (WSP); $0.09/GB or $0.02 if under 1GB for digital records from SPD |
| Tacoma Police | WRECR for collision reports; other TPD reports through South Sound 911 or the city records portal | $10.50 (WSP); $0.15 per page for printed copies from the Tacoma Police Department |
| King County Sheriff’s Office | WRECR, searching by the driver’s first and last name and the collision date; KCSO case numbers do not work in the search | $10.50 (WSP) |
| SeaTac (King County Sheriff contract) | WRECR | $10.50 (WSP) |
| Kennewick Police | WRECR | $10.50 (WSP) |
| Spokane Police | City public records portal, or Police Records at 1100 W. Mallon Ave., Tuesday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3:30 p.m. | Not posted |
| Vancouver Police | Police records request online, by mail or at the West Precinct, 2800 NE Stapleton Rd., weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Not posted |
| Bellevue Police | City public records request, which covers collision reports; records email [email protected] | Not posted |
If WRECR finds no record, start with the department that responded, which can confirm the report was filed. Only the reporting officer can correct a report.
What Washington Drivers Must Report
Under RCW section 46.52.020, a driver in a crash that injures or kills someone must stop, stay at the scene, and give reasonable help, including getting an injured person to a doctor or hospital when treatment is needed, or they ask. The driver must also give their name, address, insurance company, policy number, and plate number, and show a driver’s license.
If nobody can take that information and no officer is present, the driver must report the crash right away to the nearest police office. In a damage-only crash, move the vehicle off the main lanes, shoulders and medians to a suitable spot, such as an exit ramp shoulder, a frontage road, or the nearest cross street, then exchange information.
Leaving the scene of a fatal crash is a class B felony, an injury crash a class C felony, and a damage-only crash a gross misdemeanor, and a conviction brings license revocation.
RCW 46.52.030 adds a written report within four days for any crash that injures or kills someone or causes $1,000 or more in damage to the property of any one person, unless an officer is filing a police report. The $1,000 threshold has applied since January 1, 2015 (WAC 446-85-010). Drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and property owners use the Motor Vehicle Collision Report, form 3000-345-161.
The quickest way to file is WSP’s online collision report system at wrecr.wsp.wa.gov/omvcr, which gives you the report and its number right away. A signed paper form can also go by mail to the Collision Records Section or by email to [email protected].
Washington Insurance Rules After a Crash
Washington requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 for injury or death to one person, $50,000 for two or more people, and $10,000 for property damage under RCW section 46.29.090. Insurers must offer personal injury protection (PIP) on every new or renewed auto policy, and only a named insured can turn it down in writing under section 48.22.085. Once rejected, PIP stays off later policies unless the policyholder asks for it in writing.
Underinsured motorist coverage comes with the policy unless a named insured or spouse rejects it in writing under section 48.22.030.
Washington is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash is responsible for the other side’s losses, usually through liability insurance. Under section 4.22.005, a person who was partly at fault can still recover, with the award reduced in proportion to their own share of the fault.
Washington Traffic Deaths by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| People killed in traffic crashes (preliminary) | 659, down 10.5% from 2024 | 2025 | Washington Traffic Safety Commission |
| Pedestrians killed (preliminary) | 148, down from 160 in 2023 | 2025 | Washington Traffic Safety Commission |
| Motorcyclists killed (preliminary) | 103, down from 142 in 2023 | 2025 | Washington Traffic Safety Commission |
| Deaths in speeding-involved crashes (preliminary) | 189, down from 270 in 2023 | 2025 | Washington Traffic Safety Commission |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 809 | 2023 | Washington Traffic Safety Commission |
The Traffic Safety Commission released its 2025 figures in May 2026, the second straight year of fewer deaths, and says impairment data in particular may still change. Drivers 70 and older were involved in 112 fatal crashes in 2025, an all-time high.
Washington Crash Guides by City and County
At Local Accident Reports, we cover crashes across the country. That means going county by county, and then city by city, focusing on car crashes, motorcycle wrecks, commercial and residential fires, and every other kind of accident happening in every corner of the nation.
Washington is no exception. With 39 counties and 281 municipalities, there are crashes to report every single day, and that’s what we do. But we don’t stop there. We don’t just want to tell drivers and commuters when and where a crash happened. We also want to help people get to know the cities they drive in, including the most important roads and the most dangerous intersections, so they have a clear picture of what to expect behind the wheel.
Here you’ll find the latest accidents across Washington’s counties and communities, along with guides to some of the state’s most important cities.
County accident news: King County · Pierce County · Spokane County · Thurston County · Benton County · Snohomish County · Franklin County · Cowlitz County
Compare nearby states: Western crash reports and car accident laws by state · No-fault states and insurance minimums in all 50 states
Questions about getting, reading or correcting a police report? See our accident report FAQ.
Intersections and road stretches with high crash counts from 2018 to 2022 are listed on our Washington 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.
- Crime Victims Compensation Program Run by the Department of Labor & Industries, it covers people hurt by drunk or drugged drivers and in vehicular homicide or vehicular assault cases, including hit-and-runs by an unknown driver. Report the crime to police within a year and apply within three years of that report. 1-800-762-3716.
- MADD Free support for people hurt by drunk or drugged drivers and for families who lost someone. 24-hour help line: 877-MADD-HELP.
- 911. Call 911 after an accident for support.
- Trauma centers. Harborview Medical Center in Seattle is the state’s only Level I trauma center for adults and children, per the Department of Health’s trauma designation list.
Washington Crash Questions
How do I get a WSP collision report?
Order it online through the Washington State Patrol’s WRECR system at wrecr.wsp.wa.gov, searching by an involved person’s name and the collision date. A copy costs $10.50, and a report can take 2 to 4 weeks to become available. Drivers, injured people, owners, and their attorneys and insurers get an unredacted copy; everyone else gets a redacted one.
Do I have to file my own collision report in Washington?
Yes, within four days, if the crash injured or killed someone or caused $1,000 or more in damage to the property of any one person, unless an officer is filing a police report. The driver form is the Motor Vehicle Collision Report, number 3000-345-161, filed online through the State Patrol’s collision report system, by mail or by email.
Is Washington a no-fault state?
No. Washington is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the crash is responsible for the losses through liability insurance of at least 25/50/10. Insurers must offer PIP coverage, and only a named insured can reject it in writing. A driver who was partly at fault can still recover, with the award reduced by their share.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Washington?
Three years for personal injury and property damage claims under RCW section 4.16.080(2). Wrongful death claims also have three years under section 4.16.080 and Deggs v. Asbestos Corp. (2016). For a claim against the state or a local government, file the claim with that government first and wait 60 days before suing under sections 4.92.110 and 4.96.020; the three-year clock pauses during that wait.
Recent Washington Crash Coverage
Two-Car Crash Blocks Lanes at Clearwater Ave and Edison St in Kennewick, WA
Injury Crash With Airbag Deployment Shuts Down Pacific Ave in Lacey, WA
Pedestrian Hit by Pickup Truck at N 20th Ave and W Sylvester St in Pasco, WA
T-Bone Crash and Car Fire Shuts Down Rte 221 in Prosser, WA
Six Hurt in Three-Vehicle DUI Crash on I-5 NB in Vancouver, WA
The full archive is at Washington 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.