Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 46.52.030 (2026)

Accident reports

✓ current as of May 2026

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(1) Unless a report is to be made by a law enforcement officer under subsection (3) of this section, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to the property of any one person to an apparent extent equal to or greater than the minimum amount established by rule adopted by the chief of the Washington state patrol in accordance with subsection (5) of this section, shall, within four days after such accident, make a written report of such accident to the chief of police of the city or town if such accident occurred within an incorporated city or town or the county sheriff or state patrol if such accident occurred outside incorporated cities and towns. Nothing in this subsection prohibits accident reports from being filed by drivers where damage to property is less than the minimum amount or where a law enforcement officer has submitted a report.

(2) The original of the report shall be immediately forwarded by the authority receiving the report to the chief of the Washington state patrol at Olympia, Washington. The Washington state patrol shall give the department of licensing full access to the report.

(3) Any law enforcement officer who investigates an accident for which a report is required under subsection (1) of this section shall submit an investigator's report as required by RCW 46.52.070.

(4) The chief of the Washington state patrol may require any driver of any vehicle involved in an accident, of which report must be made as provided in this section, to file supplemental reports whenever the original report in the chief's opinion is insufficient, and may likewise require witnesses of any such accident to render reports. For this purpose, the chief of the Washington state patrol shall prepare and, upon request, supply to any police department, coroner, sheriff, and any other suitable agency or individual, sample forms of accident reports required hereunder, which reports shall be upon a form devised by the chief of the Washington state patrol and shall call for sufficiently detailed information to disclose all material facts with reference to the accident to be reported thereon, including the location, the circumstances, the conditions then existing, the persons and vehicles involved, the insurance information required under RCW 46.30.030, personal injury or death, if any, the amounts of property damage claimed, the total number of vehicles involved, whether the vehicles were legally parked, legally standing, or moving, whether such vehicles were occupied at the time of the accident, and whether any driver involved in the accident was distracted at the time of the accident. Distractions contributing to an accident must be reported on the accident form and include at least the following minimum reporting options: Not distracted; operating a handheld electronic telecommunication device; operating a hands-free wireless telecommunication device; other electronic devices (including, but not limited to, PDA's, laptop computers, navigational devices, etc.); adjusting an audio or entertainment system; smoking; eating or drinking; reading or writing; grooming; interacting with children, passengers, animals, or objects in the vehicle; other inside distractions; outside distractions; and distraction unknown. Every required accident report shall be made on a form prescribed by the chief of the Washington state patrol and each authority charged with the duty of receiving such reports shall provide sufficient report forms in compliance with the form devised. The report forms shall be designated so as to provide that a copy may be retained by the reporting person.

(5) The chief of the Washington state patrol shall adopt rules establishing the accident-reporting threshold for property damage accidents. Beginning October 1, 1987, the accident-reporting threshold for property damage accidents shall be five hundred dollars. The accident-reporting threshold for property damage accidents shall be revised when necessary, but not more frequently than every two years. The revisions shall only be for the purpose of recognizing economic changes as reflected by an inflationary index recommended by the office of financial management. The revisions shall be guided by the change in the index for the time period since the last revision.

[ 2005 c 171 s 1; 1997 c 248 s 1; 1996 c 183 s 1; 1989 c 353 s 5; 1987 c 463 s 2; 1981 c 30 s 1; 1979 c 158 s 160; 1979 c 11 s 2. Prior: 1977 ex.s. c 369 s 2; 1977 ex.s. c 68 s 1; 1969 ex.s. c 40 s 2; 1967 c 32 s 54; 1965 ex.s. c 119 s 1; 1961 c 12 s 46.52.030; prior: 1943 c 154 s 1; 1937 c 189 s 135; RRS s 6360-135.]

Notes:

Effective date—2005 c 171: "This act takes effect January 1, 2006." [ 2005 c 171 s 3.]

Effective date—1997 c 248: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 2, 1997]." [ 1997 c 248 s 2.]

Effective date—1996 c 183: "This act takes effect July 1, 1996." [ 1996 c 183 s 3.]

Effective date—1989 c 353: See RCW 46.30.901.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 10 cases, 1966–2015 · leading case: Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 31 P.3d 628 (Wash. 2001).

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Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 31 P.3d 628 (Wash. 2001). · cites it 4× “No such accident report or copy thereof shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident [with certain exceptions not relevant here].”

Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 181 A.L.R. Fed. 741 (Wash. 2001). · cites it 4× “No such accident report or copy thereof shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident [with certain exceptions not relevant here].”

Gendler v. Batiste, 274 P.3d 346 (Wash. 2012). · cites it 4× “060 (Laws of 1937, ch. 189, § 138) of the motor vehicle act, which imposes a duty on the chief of the WSP to file, tabulate, and analyze all accident reports and to publish annually, immediately following the close of each fiscal year, and monthly during the course of the year,…”

Brown v. Pro West Transp. Ltd., 886 P.2d 223 (Wash. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 5× “020 and RCW 46.52.030 We first decide whether there exist genuine issues of material fact as to whether the statute of limitations was tolled when Clark failed to comply with RCW 46.”

The City of Sunnyside v. Wendt, 755 P.2d 847 (Wash. Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 2× “RCW 46.52.030 7 and .070, 8 adopted by the City, authorize and require police officers to make investigations of accidents.”

Signal Ins. v. Walden, 517 P.2d 611 (Wash. Ct. App. 1973). “After the accident,, the driver of the other vehicle, Johnson, was hospitalized for a short period and then absented himself from the state without filing an accident report with the Department of Motor Vehicles, as required by RCW 46.52.030. Investigators employed by both…”

Flory v. Dep't of Motor Vehs., 527 P.2d 1318 (Wash. 1974). “Accident reports were submitted as required by RCW 46.52.030. Thereafter the Department of Motor Vehicles determined the sum of $2,548 was a proper amount for security to be posted by respondent, and that his driver’s license would be suspended unless he either posted security…”

Gooldy v. Golden Grain Trucking Co., 419 P.2d 582 (Wash. 1966). “Plaintiffs next contend that the trial court erred in failing to require production and examination of the defendant’s accident report filed at the Pasco police station pursuant to RCW 46.52.030. Plaintiffs point out that defendant’s witness, Officer Leonard, used the report to…”

City of Seattle v. Gerry, 458 P.2d 548 (Wash. 1969). · cites it 2× “He states that he made a report of the accident as required by state law (RCW 46.52.030) and Seattle city ordinance No.”

Rochelle Tran v. Victoria Gallardo, Et Vir (Wash. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 7× “020 and RCW 46.52.030. Because the trial court properly concluded that Tran did not serve Gallardo within the statute of limitations, and because Tran had an obvious and reasonable ability to prosecute her claim within the applicable statute of limitations notwithstanding any…”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.52.030(1) — 3 cases

Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 31 P.3d 628 (Wash. 2001). “No such accident report or copy thereof shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident [with certain exceptions not relevant here].”

Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 181 A.L.R. Fed. 741 (Wash. 2001). “No such accident report or copy thereof shall be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident [with certain exceptions not relevant here].”

Gendler v. Batiste, 274 P.3d 346 (Wash. 2012). “060 (Laws of 1937, ch. 189, § 138) of the motor vehicle act, which imposes a duty on the chief of the WSP to file, tabulate, and analyze all accident reports and to publish annually, immediately following the close of each fiscal year, and monthly during the course of the year,…”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.52.030(3) — 2 cases

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