Asking for road traffic collision information
If you have been involved in a collision, or if you are a solicitor or insurer working for a client or customer who has been involved in a crash, you might need to ask us for reports and other information we have about the incident.
This page explains:
- what types of reports and information we might have
- how to ask for them
- how much they cost
Types of collision report
There are two main types of collision report, called a ‘third-party report’ and an ‘abstract report’.
A third-party report is a list of all the vehicles and drivers we know were involved in the collision.
A third-party report costs £43.80.
An abstract report consists of:
- the main police report on the incident
- copies of up to three witness statements, with the witnesses’ personal details (if the witness agreed to let us share them)
The main police report will be redacted, which means some information will be removed or blanked out. Redacted information will include any personal information that is protected by data protection rules, or anything that’s opinion not fact.
Reports will not usually contain details of insurance cover. You can ask the Motor Insurers Bureau for information about insurance from their Motor Insurance Database (MID).
An abstract report costs £123.30How to request a collision report
Your collision reference number
To ask for a collision report or other information about a collision you need a collision reference number.
Your collision reference number will have been given to you by the Collisions Unit. It will have seven to eight digits. Do not use a crime reference number which starts with 4712, nor the vehicle registration number. To avoid delays and extra costs, you must only give us your collision reference number.If you request a collision report but give us the wrong number or don’t give us a number:
- you might need to pay extra for the report
- it might take longer
Searching for a collision reference number
If you don’t have a collision reference number but you think there may be a collision report, you can ask us to search for the reference number.
If a collision report exists, we will give you the reference number so you can then apply for a report.
A collision reference number search costs £37.50.It usually takes 14 to 21 days from when you have paid for us to reply.
We don’t complete a collision report for every collision, so sometimes there will be no collision reference number and no report. We will tell you if there is no collision report.
If you have a collision reference number you can ask for a collision report online.
Prices and payment
The fees are:
- Collision reference number search £37.50
- Third-party report £43.80
- Abstract report £123.30
You will be provided with instructions on how to make a payment when you submit your request. Please follow the steps shown in the email acknowledgement you will receive. The BACS details to use are shown here:
Sort code: 60-05-24
Account No: 96204273
Account Name: The PCC for Sussex
Bank: National Westminster Bank PLC
Branch: 5 East Street, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1HH VAT No: GB 193 631 452
IBAN: GB84NWBK60052496204273
BIC: NWBKGB2L
Reference: Use the Collision Reference Number if you have this. Please note, if you don't have this and are requesting us to search for this reference, then please use the collision vehicle's registration number or the Sussex Police call log number (typically in the format sxp-01234-date/month/year).
Please ensure you make the correct payment.
Contact us for further information
If you require information that you cannot request through the online forms or for further information about collision reports, please email our Collisions Team.
Please note: You should allow a minimum of three months for your request to be processed. Unfortunately we won't be able to give you an update before then, but we'll contact you as soon as we can.
Apply online
If you have a collision reference number you can ask for a collision report online. Or you can apply online for us to search for this number.