How to Report a Car Accident in Louisville, Kentucky

If anyone is injured or there is significant property damage, call 911 immediately. For accidents within Louisville with no injuries but damage exceeding $500, call the LMPD non-emergency line at (502) 574-7111 to request an officer. Kentucky law (KRS 189.635) requires you to report the accident immediately.

If the accident occurred on a Kentucky interstate highway (I-64, I-65, I-71, I-264, I-265), contact the Kentucky State Police at (800) 222-5555. KSP may respond to interstate accidents even within Louisville's jurisdiction.

While waiting for the officer, stay at the scene. Kentucky's hit-and-run statute (KRS 189.580) 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 using Kentucky's E-CRASH electronic reporting system, 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.

If no law enforcement officer investigates the accident, Kentucky law (KRS 189.635) requires each driver to file a civilian traffic collision report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days. This applies to any accident involving injury, death, or property damage exceeding $500. Most vehicle repairs — even for seemingly minor fender-benders — exceed $500, so file the report to be safe.

The civilian traffic collision report must be filed online at kspportal.ky.gov/CivilianCollisionReporting. KSP no longer accepts paper forms. The online system is available 24/7 and is free to use. After completing the report, the system generates a unique report number and gives you the option to download a copy for your records.

The online 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.

You can also file a report after the fact at any LMPD division office if police did not respond to the scene. Visit lmpd.gov for LMPD's online reporting options for specific incident types. However, the KSP civilian collision report is the state-required filing.

LMPD offers online reporting through their website at lmpd.gov for certain types of incidents. This may include hit-and-runs where the suspect has left the scene and other specific incident categories. However, accidents involving injuries or significant property damage typically require an in-person police response.

If police did not respond to the scene — because it was a minor fender-bender, because dispatch was backlogged, or because the other driver left the scene — you should still file a report as soon as possible. Visit the LMPD Report an Accident page at lmpd.gov or go to your nearest LMPD division office to file a report in person.

Even if you file a report with LMPD, you are still required to file the civilian traffic collision report with KSP within 10 days if no law enforcement officer conducted an investigation at the scene and property damage exceeded $500 or there were injuries.

After a law enforcement officer files a report, it is submitted through Kentucky's E-CRASH electronic reporting system. The report is forwarded to the Kentucky State Police's Criminal Identification and Records Branch (CRASH Section) within 10 days. The report becomes available to the public through LMPD's records office, typically within 10 working days. You can purchase a copy for $10.

After you file a civilian collision report online with KSP, the department records the accident for its crash statistics and insurance verification purposes. If the other driver was uninsured, KSP may initiate enforcement action. If you were uninsured, you may face license suspension under Kentucky's financial responsibility requirements.

The police report and your civilian 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.

Reporting the accident properly is one of the most important things you can do to protect your personal injury claim. Kentucky uses pure comparative negligence, meaning your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but there is no threshold that bars recovery. The police report often establishes the initial fault determination that insurance companies rely on.

If you fail to report the accident or file the civilian collision report, 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.

Kentucky's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is 1 year from the date of injury (KRS 413.140). For auto accident claims involving PIP benefits, the deadline may be 2 years (KRS 304.39-230). Report the accident immediately and consult an attorney as soon as possible — Kentucky's deadlines are among the shortest in the nation.

Kentucky is a choice no-fault auto insurance state. All Kentucky drivers carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage that pays medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. When you report an accident, your PIP coverage is activated through your own insurance company, regardless of who caused the accident.

You can sue the at-fault driver for damages beyond PIP if your medical expenses exceed $1,000, or if you suffered a fracture, permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, or permanent loss of a body function (KRS 304.39-060). The police report is critical evidence in establishing the other driver's fault for these claims.

If you rejected no-fault coverage (Kentucky allows this option), you retain full right to sue the at-fault driver for all damages. Regardless of your coverage choice, reporting the accident creates the official record you need to pursue any claim.

If you were injured in a car accident in Louisville and have reported the accident, take our free 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 Kentucky's filing deadline for your specific claim, how fault is determined under Kentucky'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.