How to Report a Car Accident in Atlanta, Georgia

If anyone is injured or there is significant property damage, call 911 immediately. For accidents within Atlanta city limits with no injuries but damage exceeding $500, call the Atlanta Police Department non-emergency line at (404) 614-6544 to request an officer. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273) requires you to report the accident immediately by the quickest means of communication.

If the accident occurred on a Georgia interstate highway (I-75, I-85, I-285, I-20), contact the Georgia State Patrol by dialing *GSP (*477) from a cell phone or calling (404) 624-7477. State Patrol has primary jurisdiction over interstate accidents, even within Atlanta city limits.

While waiting for the officer, stay at the scene. Georgia's hit-and-run statute (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270) requires drivers to remain at the scene of any accident involving injury, death, or property damage. Leaving the scene before the officer arrives can result in criminal charges. Exchange insurance information with the other driver, take photos of the vehicles and scene, and collect contact information from any witnesses.

When the officer arrives, provide your license, registration, and insurance information. Describe what happened factually — do not speculate about fault or apologize. The officer will complete an accident report, and you will receive a case number or report receipt. Keep this number — you will need it to obtain a copy of the report later.

In addition to the police report, Georgia law requires each driver involved in an accident resulting in injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more to file a personal accident report — the SR-13 form — with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) within 10 days of the accident. This requirement applies even if police responded to the scene and filed their own report.

The SR-13 form asks for your personal information, driver's license number, vehicle information, insurance details, the date and location of the accident, a description of what happened, the names of all parties and witnesses, and information about injuries and property damage. Be factual and concise. Do not admit fault or speculate about what the other driver was doing.

Download the SR-13 form from the Georgia DDS website at dds.georgia.gov under 'DDS Forms and Manuals.' You can also pick up a copy at any DDS customer service center in the Atlanta area. The form is titled 'Personal Report of Accident' or 'Motor Vehicle Accident Self-Report Form.'

Complete the form and mail it to: Georgia Department of Driver Services, P.O. Box 80447, Conyers, GA 30013. Keep a copy of the completed form for your records. If you prefer, you can submit the form in person at a DDS customer service center or contact DDS at (678) 413-8400 for information about fax submission.

The Atlanta Police Department offers online reporting for certain types of incidents through their website at atlantapd.org. Online reporting is generally available for minor incidents such as hit-and-runs where the suspect has left the scene, theft, and vandalism. However, accidents involving injuries or significant property damage typically require an in-person police response.

If police did not respond to the scene of your accident — because it was a minor fender-bender, because you were unable to reach dispatch, or because the other driver left the scene — you should still file a report as soon as possible. Visit your nearest APD precinct to file a report in person, or use the online reporting system if your incident qualifies.

Even for minor accidents where police do not respond, you are still required to file the SR-13 form with DDS within 10 days if property damage exceeds $500 or anyone was injured. Most vehicle repairs — even for seemingly minor fender-benders — easily exceed $500, so file the form to be safe.

After you file a police report, the investigating officer completes the accident report and submits it to the Georgia Electronic Accident Reporting System (GEARS). The report becomes available to the public through LexisNexis BuyCrash at buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com, typically within 7 to 10 business days. You can purchase a copy of the report online for less than $20.

After you file the SR-13 form with DDS, the department uses the information to maintain crash statistics and verify insurance compliance. If the other driver was uninsured, DDS may suspend their license. If you were uninsured at the time of the accident, DDS may require you to post a security deposit or face license suspension under Georgia's Financial Responsibility Law (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11).

The police report and your SR-13 filing become part of the official record of the accident. Your insurance company will obtain the police report as part of the claims process. If you file a personal injury lawsuit, the police report will be used as evidence. The SR-13 form may also be relevant if there is a dispute about whether the accident was properly reported.

Reporting the accident properly is one of the most important things you can do to protect your personal injury claim. Georgia uses modified comparative negligence (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33), meaning your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you are 50% or more at fault. The police report often establishes the initial fault determination that insurance companies rely on.

If you fail to report the accident or file the SR-13 form, you face two problems. First, the lack of official documentation makes it harder to prove what happened and who was at fault. Second, the opposing party or their insurance company may argue that your failure to report suggests the accident was not serious or that you are not being truthful about the circumstances.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Georgia is 2 years from the date of injury (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). While you have 2 years to file a lawsuit, you have only 10 days to file the SR-13 form and should report to police as soon as possible after the accident. The sooner you document the facts, the stronger your claim will be.

If your accident involved a City of Atlanta vehicle, a MARTA bus, a Fulton County vehicle, or occurred due to a road defect on government property, you have additional reporting requirements. Under Georgia's ante-litem notice statute (O.C.G.A. § 36-33-5), you must send written notice to the City of Atlanta within 6 months of the injury. For county claims, the deadline is 12 months (O.C.G.A. § 36-11-1).

File the police report and SR-13 form as you would for any other accident. Then, separately, send an ante-litem notice to the government entity by certified mail. For the City of Atlanta, the notice should be addressed to the Office of the Mayor, 55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. The notice must state the time, place, and extent of your injury.

Government entity claims are complex and have shorter deadlines than typical personal injury cases. If a government vehicle or road condition caused your accident, consult an attorney immediately to preserve your rights.

If you were injured in a car accident in Atlanta and have reported the accident to police, take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Georgia's filing deadline for your specific claim, how fault is determined under Georgia's comparative negligence law, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

Reporting the accident is the first step to protecting your rights. Understanding your legal options is the second. Our assessment is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to decide what comes next.