How to File Police Report After Car Accident in Albuquerque 

If you or a loved one are involved in a vehicle accident in the Albuquerque area, you likely need to file a police report. Just about every accident that occurs in New Mexico must be reported to the police. Per state law, an accident must be reported if it results in an injury or death of any person involved or property damage of more than $500 (New Mexico Statutes Annotated sections 66-7-206 and 66-7-207). Here, we want to review the process of filing a police report after an accident.

Step 1 – Call the Police From the Accident Scene

The first step in getting an accident report completed after a car accident in Albuquerque is to call the police. If the incident occurred within the city limits, then the Albuquerque Police Department will respond to the scene of the incident. If the incident did not occur within city limits, then you need to report the incident to the county sheriff’s department or to the New Mexico State Police, whichever jurisdiction is appropriate for the area where the incident occurred.

Law enforcement officials are required to submit their reports to state authorities within 24 hours. Within a week or so after the incident occurs, accident victims can obtain a copy of their police report by contacting the department that handled the incident and following the process set forth by that department for obtaining the report. Albuquerque has a section of their website devoted to helping individuals obtain accident reports.

Step 2 – Gather Information at the Scene

There is specific information you will need to gather at the scene of the incident, but we do want to add a note of caution. If tempers are running high after the incident occurred, let law enforcement officials speak to the other individuals involved so they can gather the required information. Some of the information needed after an accident will include the following:

• The time, date, and location where the accident happened
• Description of possible causes of the collision,
• The name, address, and phone number of any other party involved
• Written accounts from passengers and other witnesses
• A sketch of the accident and vehicles, including the point of impact
• An account of vehicle damage (that is visible)
• Information related to citations issued to drivers involved
• A description of weather conditions
• A description of any injuries that are known about
• An overview of what the aftermath looked like, including how far debris flew

Step 3 – Consult With an Attorney

We strongly encourage any person involved in a vehicle accident caused by the actions of another driver to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. A skilled vehicle accident lawyer in Albuquerque can assist with the entire claims process. When you have a lawyer by your side, you will have an individual with legal knowledge and the resources needed to fully investigate your claim. They will liaise with law enforcement officials involved to obtain the accident report and glean any new information they can to help determine liability.