Western Crash Reports: Car Accident Laws and Crash Data by State
Where to get a crash report, which insurance and fault rules apply, and how many people die on the roads in each of the 11 Western states.
This page compares Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, with links to the full guide for each state.
Who Has Your Crash Report in the West
In every Western state, the report belongs to the agency whose officer worked the crash. That is usually the state police or highway patrol on major highways, city police inside city limits, and the county sheriff in many rural areas. The table shows where each state’s own trooper reports come from. City and county reports usually come from that department’s records office, and each state guide lists the largest ones.
| State | Where state police crash reports come from |
| Alaska | DPS records portal or the DMV |
| California | CHP Crash Portal or form CHP 190 |
| Colorado | State Patrol Records Request Portal |
| Hawaii | The county police department that responded |
| Idaho | Idaho Transportation Department portal ($7 plus fee) |
| Montana | Montana Highway Patrol, by mail only |
| Nevada | The Highway Patrol regional office for the area ($10) |
| Oregon | Oregon DMV ($8.50); drivers may also owe the DMV their own report |
| Utah | Department of Public Safety GovQA portal |
| Washington | WSP’s WRECR online ($10.50) |
| Wyoming | WYDOT Highway Safety, by phone, email or mail ($3) |
Hawaii has no state highway patrol, so crash reports come from the county police department that responded. In Oregon, a driver in a crash that meets the DMV’s injury or damage triggers must send the DMV their own report within 72 hours, even when police wrote one. Washington’s State Patrol is the custodian of collision reports statewide, and Wyoming’s WYDOT keeps reports from every agency.
Not sure which agency took the report, or don’t want to deal with the forms? We can get a copy of your report for you at no cost.
Western Insurance and Fault Rules by State
Two of the 11 states on this page use no-fault insurance (Hawaii and Utah), and the rest are fault-based. Minimum liability limits are written as three numbers in thousands of dollars: injury to one person, injuries in one crash, and property damage, so 25/50/25 means $25,000, $50,000 and $25,000. The last column shows when your own share of the blame stops you from recovering damages from the other driver.
| State | Insurance system | Minimum liability | When shared fault bars recovery |
| Alaska | Fault-based | 50/100/25 | Never bars recovery; award cut by your share |
| California | Fault-based | 30/60/15 | Never bars recovery; award cut by your share |
| Colorado | Fault-based | 25/50/15 | Barred at 50% or more |
| Hawaii | No-fault | 40/80/20 (from 2026) | Barred above 50% |
| Idaho | Fault-based | 25/50/15 | Barred at 50% or more |
| Montana | Fault-based | 25/50/20 | Barred above 50% |
| Nevada | Fault-based | 25/50/20 | Barred above 50% |
| Oregon | Fault-based | 25/50/20 | Barred above 50% |
| Utah | No-fault | 30/65/25 | Barred at 50% or more |
| Washington | Fault-based | 25/50/10 | Never bars recovery; award cut by your share |
| Wyoming | Fault-based | 25/50/20 | Barred above 50% |
Each state guide explains the details, including personal injury protection, uninsured motorist coverage and claim deadlines. To compare every state at once, see our no-fault states and insurance minimums for all 50 states.
Western Traffic Deaths by State
In 2024, 7,250 people died in crashes in the 11 Western states, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s analysis of federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System data. That works out to 10.3 deaths per 100,000 people, against 11.5 for the country as a whole. Wyoming had the region’s highest rate, 18.2, and Hawaii the lowest, 7.1. The last column gives the newest count on each state guide, which comes from the state’s own agencies and can differ from the federal figure.
| State | 2024 deaths | Per 100,000 people | Per 100 million miles | Newest state count |
| California | 3,876 | 9.8 | 1.19 | 3,630 (2025, early estimate) |
| Washington | 730 | 9.2 | 1.21 | 659 (2025, preliminary) |
| Colorado | 689 | 11.6 | 1.25 | 701 (2025) |
| Oregon | 538 | 12.6 | 1.44 | 487 (2025, preliminary) |
| Nevada | 417 | 12.8 | 1.47 | 380 (2025, preliminary) |
| Utah | 277 | 7.9 | 0.77 | 264 (2025, preliminary) |
| Idaho | 238 | 11.9 | 1.19 | 252 (2025) |
| Montana | 206 | 18.1 | 1.49 | 198 (2025, preliminary) |
| Wyoming | 107 | 18.2 | 1.10 | 124 (2025, subject to change) |
| Hawaii | 102 | 7.1 | 0.96 | 128 (2025, through Dec. 25) |
| Alaska | 70 | 9.5 | 1.27 | 65 (2025, very preliminary) |
Source: IIHS, Fatality Facts 2024: State by state. Newest state counts are from each state guide; preliminary and early estimate figures can change.
Western Crash Guides by City and State
Dangerous roads and intersections: Alaska crash hot spots · California crash hot spots · Colorado crash hot spots · Hawaii crash hot spots · Idaho crash hot spots · Montana crash hot spots · Nevada crash hot spots · Oregon crash hot spots · Utah crash hot spots · Washington crash hot spots · Wyoming crash hot spots
Accident news by state: Alaska accident news · California accident news · Colorado accident news · Hawaii accident news · Idaho accident news · Montana accident news · Nevada accident news · Oregon accident news · Utah accident news · Washington accident news · Wyoming accident news, plus our recent accident alerts.
General questions about getting, reading or correcting a police report are answered in our accident report FAQ.
Other regions: Northeast crash reports and laws · Southeast crash reports and laws · Midwest crash reports and laws · Southwest crash reports and laws · All 50 states compared
Western Crash Questions
Which Western states are no-fault states?
Hawaii and Utah are no-fault states: your own personal injury protection pays your medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, and suing the other driver for pain and suffering is limited. The other Western states on this page are fault-based.
Which Western state has the most traffic deaths?
California had the most in 2024, with 3,876 deaths, according to IIHS analysis of federal crash data. Measured against population, Wyoming had the highest rate in the region, 18.2 deaths per 100,000 people, and Hawaii had the lowest, 7.1. The U.S. rate was 11.5.
What happens if I was partly at fault for a crash in the West?
It depends on the state. Alaska, California and Washington never bar recovery for shared fault and only reduce the award; Colorado, Idaho and Utah bar recovery at 50% or more; Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming bar recovery only above 50%. In most of these states, the award shrinks by your own share of the fault.
Which Western states require personal injury protection?
Hawaii and Utah are no-fault states, so every policy carries personal injury protection. Oregon, a fault-based state, also requires $15,000 of it. In Washington, insurers must offer it, and only a named insured can turn it down in writing.
After a crash anywhere in the country, Local Accident Reports can connect you with local help, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. Contact our team.
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.