ACCIDENT REPORT

WHAT IS AN ACCIDENT REPORT?

An accident report is a document that describes and records all aspects of a traffic accident involving a vehicle or vehicles, clearly outlining the fault and damage involved. While it's important to know that an accident report can be prepared with the assistance of law enforcement, under certain conditions, or conversely, without the involvement of law enforcement, it can be prepared solely by the vehicle owner(s). However, when examining these conditions, in traffic accidents involving only material damage, the parties can agree among themselves, detailing each event in a comprehensive manner to clarify the situation. Calling law enforcement is not mandatory in this case. However, for better proof of claims in case of future issues, it is generally considered more reliable for law enforcement to prepare the accident report. In traffic accidents resulting in injury or death, even if the parties agree amongst themselves, it is mandatory to prepare an accident report with the assistance of law enforcement.

HOW TO FILL OUT THE REPORT AND WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE?

When a traffic accident occurs, both parties involved must have valid driver's licenses, vehicle registration documents, and insurance policies. If they are not valid, it will not be possible to complete the accident report, and the accident report completed by the parties will not be considered a valid document. Assuming these conditions are met, the accident report should begin by stating the date, time, and location of the accident. Then, the two sections allocated for vehicles (driver information and vehicle registration information) should be filled out. Next, the traffic insurance policy information should be entered and written. At the bottom of the report, arrows should be used to indicate the points of impact on the vehicle, and a sketch of the accident area should be drawn. Finally, at the very bottom, both parties involved in the accident should write statements explaining how the accident occurred from their perspectives, and their signatures should be obtained. This is how the accident report is completed. Nowadays, the mobile accident report application issued by the Insurance Information and Supervision Center makes it even easier to complete an accident report. When we look at the purpose of preparing an accident report, we can say that it is a report that reveals how the accident occurred and determines the damages in the incident. However, this report alone cannot determine the fault rate or degree of the accident. Fault rates can only be determined after the evaluation and review by the drivers' insurance companies and the results are finalized within 3 days. However, the accident report is an important document regarding the accident because it can be a crucial document for proving opposing views or claims made by the parties involved, especially since documents prepared by law enforcement have less room for objection compared to those prepared by the parties themselves. Therefore, we can say that an accident report prepared by law enforcement is a more important piece of evidence in a significant dispute or court case. For this reason, individuals cannot later object to an accident report they have prepared themselves without the involvement of law enforcement, as both parties have approved it and there is no possibility of objection regarding incompleteness or inaccuracies.

WHAT ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE RECORD IS CONSIDERED INVALID?

An accident report is not a document that is valid in all cases, nor is it something that every party involved in a traffic accident has the right to fill out and that will be valid upon completion. While there are specific conditions for its validity, there are also situations that render it invalid. An accident report filled out solely by the parties without the involvement of law enforcement is not always valid. As mentioned above, if one or both parties lack a driver's license or vehicle registration, the report is invalid. Similarly, if at least one of the vehicles involved lacks traffic insurance, the report is invalid. Furthermore, if one of the vehicles involved in the accident belongs to the public, or if public property is damaged as a result of the accident, the accident report filled out without the involvement of law enforcement will be invalid. Likewise, if at least one of the drivers is under 18 years of age, if there is death or injury in the accident, or if one or both drivers are suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the accident report filled out without the involvement of law enforcement will be invalid. Therefore, the most appropriate course of action is for the accident report to be prepared by law enforcement officers in the presence of law enforcement officers at the time of the accident.

HUSEYIN DOGAN