Using Wisconsin DOT Self-Reporting Accident Form

Have you ever been in a car accident where you or the other party decide not to call the police? What about an accident where you call the police and they either decline to respond because there aren’t injuries, or they do respond but decline to file a report? What’s the best way to handle situations like these so you can be sure that you have the documentation you need moving forward? The best course of action would be to file a crash report with the Wisconsin DOT using the self-reporting accident form. This form can be completed online and can be found at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/crsh-rpt/default.aspx. According to Wisconsin law (Wisconsin Statute s. 346.70(1)), a self-reporting accident form should be filled out if any of the following are true:

•  There was $1,000 or more damage to any one person’s vehicle or property
• There was an injury
• There was damage of $200 or more to state or other government-owned property other than a vehicle
• You received a letter from the Department of Transportation stating you were involved in a crash and must complete a crash report.

In order to start the process of completing the self-reporting accident form you will need the following information:

• Your driver’s license number
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Your social security number
• Your insurance information (give us a call if you need help locating this!)

After reading the beginning of this article you may be asking in what situation would the police decline to respond to the scene of an accident, and while it may not be very common it can happen. In situations where the damages are minor, there are no injuries, the accident is not blocking traffic, and all parties are amenable to exchanging information, it’s possible that you will be instructed to exchange information and file an accident report online. If this occurs, you would use the same link above to file your crash report. No matter how minor, accidents are always stressful, but having the information you need to make sure you’re covering all your bases will help you navigate this kind of situation if and when it happens.