NC Crash Report Guide: How to Read Your NC Crash Report
If a police officer arrived at the scene of your accident, they will file a crash report known as Form DMV-349. Crash reports contain crucial details about an accident including insurance information, witness accounts, and a report of what happened and which driver was at fault for the collision. Because of all the information they contain, crash reports use numerical codes to describe the accident details. Below is a quick guide to decode the most important information on your NC crash report.
On the first page of a crash report, there will be a total of 12 numbered boxes along the right margin that provide a quick overview of who the officer determined to be at fault. For most accidents, boxes 14-19 will be most important. Boxes 14-16 will note up to three things that the first driver did or failed to do which contributed to the car crash. Likewise, boxes 17-19 will note up to three things that the second driver did or failed to do that contributed to the car crash. The codes for these “fault boxes” are as follows:
0 – No contributing circumstances indicated
1 – Disregarded yield sign
2 – Disregarded stop sign
3 – Disregarded other traffic signs
4 – Disregarded traffic signals
5 – Disregarded road markings
6 – Exceeded authorized speed limit
7 – Exceeded safe speed for conditions
8 – Failure to reduce speed
9 – Improper turn
10 – Right turn on red
11 – Crossed centerline/going wrong way
12 – Improper lane change
13 – Use of improper lane
14 – Overcorrected/oversteered
15 – Passed stopped school bus
16 – Passed on hill
17 – Passed on curve
18 – Other improper passing
19 – Failed to yield right of way
20 – Inattention
21 – Improper backing
22 – Improper parking
23 – Driver distracted
24 – Improper or no signal
25 – Followed too closely
26 – Operated vehicle in erratic, reckless, careless, negligent or aggressive manner
27 – Swerved or avoided due to wind, slippery surface, vehicle, object, non-motorist
28 – Visibility obstructed
29 – Operated defective equipment
30 – Alcohol use
31 – Drug use
32 – Other* (Described in Narrative Portion)
33 – Unable to determine
34 – Unknown
Boxes 12-13 will note any roadway circumstances that contributed to the accident, such as bad weather conditions or malfunctioning traffic signals. The codes for the “roadway boxes” are as follows:
0 – None (no unusual conditions)
1 – Road Surface Condition
2 – Debris
3 – Rut, Holes, Bumps
4 – Work Zone (construction, maintenance, utility)
5 – Worn Travel-Polished Surface
6 – Obstruction in Roadway
7 – Traffic Control Device Inoperative, Not Visible or Missing
8 – Shoulders Low, Soft or High
9 – No Shoulders
10 – Non-Highway Work
11 – Other* (Described in Narrative Portion)
12 – Unknown
Last of all, at the bottom of the first page of a crash report, boxes 28 and 32 will note airbag status along with what type of injuries the drivers and passengers sustained. Box 28 will show whether airbags deployed with the following codes:
0 – No air bags in vehicle
1 – Not deployed
2 – Deployed from front
3 – Deployed from side
4 – Deployed from both front and side
5 – Unknown
Box 32 will show what injuries the officer observed on the scene with the following codes:
1 – Fatality
2 – Disabling injury observed. This is used when the officer observes an obvious and serious injury that will prevent a person from performing normal day-to-day activities for at least one day after the crash.
3 – Evident injury observed. This is used when the officer can observe an injury that is not fatal or disabling, including bruises, swelling, and limping.
4 – Possible injury. This is used when the officer does not observe a visible injury but there are complaints of pain or there is momentary unconsciousness from the injured party.
5 – No injury
6 – Unknown
When you receive your crash report, it is good idea to check through the information to make sure that it is accurate. For more information on how to get a copy of your crash report, you can also read our article, “How to Get a Crash Report in North Carolina.”
Our personal injury attorneys have been helping injured people in Raleigh, Durham, Garner, Cary, Chapel Hill, and across North Carolina for years. If you were injured in a car accident and need help, you can speak to one of our personal injury attorneys today at no cost by calling us at 919-348-7727 or by emailing us at info@gwz.bcd.temporary.site.