How to Report a Car Accident in Little Rock, Arkansas

If anyone is injured or killed, call 911 immediately. Arkansas law requires you to stop, render aid, and report any accident involving injury or death. For accidents within Little Rock city limits with no injuries but property damage of $1,000 or more, call the Little Rock Police Department non-emergency line at (501) 371-4829 to request an officer.

If the accident occurred on an Arkansas highway or interstate outside Little Rock city limits, contact the Arkansas State Police by dialing *ASP (*277) from a cell phone or calling (501) 618-8000. State Police handles accidents on state highways and interstates, including I-30, I-40, I-430, and I-630 through the Little Rock metro area.

While waiting for the officer, stay at the scene. Arkansas's hit-and-run law (Ark. Code § 27-53-101) requires drivers to remain at the scene of any accident involving injury, death, or property damage. Leaving the scene of an injury accident is a Class D felony. Leaving the scene of a property-damage-only accident is a Class C misdemeanor. 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 give you a case number. Keep this number — you will need it to obtain a copy of the report later.

Regardless of whether police investigated the accident, Arkansas law requires you to file a DFA Accident Report (Form SR-1) with the Department of Finance and Administration within 30 days of the accident. This is a separate requirement from the police report. The SR-1 is required for any accident involving injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more to any one person's property.

The SR-1 form asks for the accident location, date, and time; your personal and insurance information; vehicle details; the names of all parties involved; a description of property damage with repair cost estimates; and information about any injuries or fatalities. Be specific about damage costs — list repair estimates for all vehicles involved.

The critical distinction in Arkansas: the police report and the SR-1 are completely separate filings to different agencies. The Arkansas State Police do not submit crash reports to the DFA. You must obtain a copy of the police report and use the information in it to complete your SR-1 submission. Many people miss this step because they assume the police report covers the requirement.

Failure to file the SR-1 within 30 days can trigger license and registration suspension under Arkansas's Safety Responsibility law. The DFA uses SR-1 filings to verify that all drivers involved in reportable accidents carry the required minimum insurance. If you cannot show proof of insurance, the DFA may require you to post a security deposit or face suspension.

File the SR-1 online at ark.org/dfa/sr1. The online form allows you to complete and submit the report electronically. This is the fastest option and provides immediate confirmation of your submission.

You can also file by mail. Send the completed SR-1 form to: DFA Safety Responsibility Section, P.O. Box 1272, Little Rock, AR 72203. Include all required information and keep a copy for your records. Mail your form early enough to arrive within the 30-day deadline.

A third option is to file in person at any Arkansas DFA revenue office. The closest location to downtown Little Rock is the DFA Revenue Office at 1900 West 7th Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. Bring your driver's license, insurance information, and details about the accident. Staff can help you complete the form if needed.

For questions about the SR-1 filing process, contact the DFA Safety Responsibility Section. Their office can clarify whether your accident meets the reporting threshold and confirm receipt of your form.

After you file a police report, the Little Rock Police Department processes the report and makes it available through the Records Division at 700 West Markham Street. Reports are generally available within 8 hours of being taken. You can obtain a copy online through BuyCrash at buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com for $5 to $10, or in person at the Records Division during business hours (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

After you file the SR-1 with the DFA, the department uses the information to verify insurance compliance for all drivers involved. If the other driver was uninsured, the DFA may take action against their license and registration. Arkansas requires minimum liability insurance of 25/50/25 ($25,000 per person bodily injury, $50,000 per accident bodily injury, $25,000 property damage), and driving without it can result in license and registration suspension and fines.

The police report and your SR-1 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, both documents will be relevant evidence. The SR-1 is particularly important because it demonstrates that you followed Arkansas's reporting requirements and had valid insurance at the time of the accident.

Reporting the accident properly is one of the most important steps in protecting your personal injury claim. Arkansas is a fault-based insurance state, meaning the at-fault driver's insurance pays for your damages. Arkansas uses modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar — 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-1, you face multiple problems. The lack of official documentation makes it harder to prove what happened and who was at fault. The DFA may suspend your license for noncompliance. And the opposing party or their insurance company may argue that your failure to report suggests the accident was not serious.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Arkansas is 3 years from the date of injury (Ark. Code § 16-56-105). While you have 3 years to file a lawsuit, you have only 30 days to file the SR-1 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 Little Rock vehicle, a Pulaski County vehicle, a Rock Region METRO transit bus, or occurred due to a road defect on government property, you have additional considerations. Arkansas has limited sovereign immunity doctrines that affect how claims against government entities are handled.

For claims against the State of Arkansas, you may need to file with the Arkansas Claims Commission, which has exclusive jurisdiction over tort claims against the state. For claims against local government entities like the City of Little Rock or Pulaski County, different rules apply depending on whether the entity has waived sovereign immunity.

Government entity claims in Arkansas are complex. The procedures, deadlines, and immunity doctrines differ significantly from private lawsuits. If a government vehicle or road condition caused your accident, consult a personal injury attorney immediately to determine the proper process and preserve your rights before any deadlines pass.

If you were injured in a car accident in Little Rock and have reported the accident to police, take our free 60-second Injury Claim Check. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Arkansas's filing deadline for your specific claim, how fault is determined under Arkansas'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 Injury Claim Check is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to decide what comes next.