Key takeaways
Fill, sign, and submit Traffic Accident Report Form from any browser — or have AI generate a custom version in seconds. No installs, no printing, no back-and-forth.
- The Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (MV-104) documents New York accidents involving injuries, fatalities, or significant property damage.
- Drivers involved in New York crashes must file this report if any person suffers property damage exceeding $1,000.
- You must submit the completed form to the Department of Motor Vehicles within ten days of the incident.
- Failure to file the report on time can lead to the suspension of your driver license or vehicle registration.
- Filing this document is mandatory even if a police officer already completed a separate accident report at the scene.
- The form requires details on all vehicles involved, insurance information, accident diagrams, and a narrative description of the event.
What is Traffic Accident Report Form?
Traffic Accident Report Form is a mandatory document used to record motor vehicle collisions in New York State that result in personal injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000 for any one person. Governed by Section 605 of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, this filing is required even if a police officer already completed a separate accident report at the scene. It serves as a primary legal record for the state to track road incidents and ensure administrative compliance among all involved drivers.
This document captures essential data points including the specific date, location, and environmental conditions present during the event. It requires the reporting driver to provide identifying details for all vehicles involved, such as the make, model, and insurance codes, as well as contact information for occupants and witnesses. Furthermore, the report includes a dedicated section for a narrative description and a hand-drawn diagram to illustrate how the collision occurred, ensuring a thorough account of the damage and injuries sustained.
Issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
Who needs the Traffic Accident Report Form — and who doesn't
Not everyone files Traffic Accident Report Form. The checklist below tells you whether it applies to your situation — and points you to the right alternative if it doesn't.
You need this Traffic Accident Report Form if…
- you were a driver in a New York State motor vehicle accident that resulted in a fatality.
- the incident caused personal injury to any driver, passenger, or pedestrian.
- the damage to the property of any one individual involved in the accident is valued at more than $1,000.
- a police accident report was already filed, as this does not exempt you from your legal requirement to file a driver report.
You do not need this Traffic Accident Report Form if…
- the accident resulted in no injuries or deaths and property damage to any single person does not exceed $1,000.
- the motor vehicle incident occurred outside of New York State.
Why you need the Traffic Accident Report Form
Why people fill out Traffic Accident Report Form, and what tends to go wrong when they don't.
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Ensure Regulatory Compliance New York law requires this report for any accident resulting in death, personal injury, or significant property damage. Submitting the document promptly helps you avoid the suspension of your driver license.
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Capture Accident Details This form provides specific sections for road conditions, witness information, and a scene diagram. Maintaining a thorough record helps ensure all facts regarding the collision are documented accurately for future reference.
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Secure Digital Storage Use pdfFiller to complete and manage this document in a secure, encrypted environment. This online platform allows you to edit the form in your browser and keep your records organized.
What each section of Traffic Accident Report Form means
Every section explained — what it's asking, the records you'll need on hand, and the mistakes that most often cause a rejection or follow-up request.
| General Accident Information | Input the date, time, and precise location of the incident, specifying road conditions, weather, lighting, and any traffic control devices present at the scene. |
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| Vehicle and Insurance Details | Record the year, make, VIN, and license plate for each vehicle, as well as driver and owner contact information and specific insurance company codes. |
| Occupant and Witness List | List all individuals present during the accident, providing their names, addresses, seating positions in the vehicles, and a description of any injuries they sustained. |
| Accident Scene Diagram | Create a visual drawing of the crash site that illustrates the positions of the vehicles involved and the direction they were traveling when it occurred. |
| Written Incident Description | Provide a thorough narrative explaining exactly how the accident happened, detailing the sequence of events and any contributing factors from the reporting driver's perspective. |
| Reporting Driver Contact Information | Enter the full name, address, and telephone number of the person preparing the report, along with the date the information was documented for the DMV. |
How to fill out Traffic Accident Report Form using pdfFiller
A walkthrough from the first field to the signature line. With your records in front of you, most people finish in under ten minutes.
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Open the Form Click Get Form to open Traffic Accident Report Form in the pdfFiller editor to start your submission and access the full suite of document management tools.
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Input Accident Details Type the date, time, and location into the accident information fields, and use the checkbox tool to specify the road, lighting, and weather conditions at the scene.
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Record Vehicle Information Enter the year, make, and insurance details for each vehicle involved in the auto accident report template, including driver license numbers and descriptions of any vehicle damage.
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List Occupants and Witnesses List every occupant and witness by name and address, using the editor to indicate their seating position and the nature of any injuries sustained during the accident.
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Illustrate the Scene Use the drawing tools to create a diagram of the accident, showing the relative positions of the vehicles and the direction of movement on the car accident form pdf.
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Provide Accident Narrative Write a detailed account of how the accident happened in the narrative section, providing a clear and concise explanation of the events leading up to the collision.
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Finalize and Save Review your entries for accuracy, then save or download the finished document; you can also share it via email or link using pdfFiller's secure encrypted storage.
Deadlines, key dates & penalties for Traffic Accident Report Form
When Traffic Accident Report Form is due, what late filing actually costs, and how to request more time if you need it.
| Filing Deadline | The Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (MV-104) must be submitted within 10 days of the date of the accident. |
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| Penalties for Non-Compliance | Failure to file the report within the required 10-day period may result in the suspension of your driver license and your vehicle registration. |
Recent changes to Traffic Accident Report Form
The Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (MV-104) was most recently updated in January 2024. This version is issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and includes all current fields required to satisfy the reporting mandates of Section 605 of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Using the January 2024 revision ensures that drivers provide the specific accident details, vehicle information, and insurance codes required by the state. This document remains the standard for reporting any motor vehicle incident in New York that results in death, injury, or significant property damage.
Pointer: Always check the revision date on the bottom of the document to confirm you are using the January 2024 version.
Related content
The forms, guides, and worksheets most filers reach for alongside Traffic Accident Report Form.
Key terms used in Traffic Accident Report Form
A one-sentence glossary of the Traffic Accident Report Form terms and concepts you'll see throughout this guide.
- VIN
- The vehicle identification number recorded for each motor vehicle involved in the accident.
- Insurance Code
- A specific code recorded for each vehicle to identify insurance details on the accident report.
- Traffic Control
- A detail regarding the conditions at the accident location, recorded in the general accident information section.
- Property Damage
- Damage to the property of any one person resulting from the accident, used to determine if filing is required.
- Personal Injury
- Physical harm to any person involved in the accident, which makes filing the report a legal requirement.
- Reporting Driver
- The person involved in the accident who completes the description and signs the final section of the report.
Frequently asked questions about Traffic Accident Report Form
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often about completing the Traffic Accident Report Form.
Any driver involved in a motor vehicle accident in New York State must file this report if the incident results in death, personal injury, or property damage exceeding $1,000 for any one person. This legal requirement applies to all motorists who meet these specific criteria. Using an auto accident report template ensures that you capture all the necessary details required by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
You must submit the completed Report of Motor Vehicle Accident to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days of the incident. This deadline is mandated by Section 605 of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. Utilizing a car accident form pdf allows you to gather your information efficiently to ensure your report is filed before the deadline expires.
Failing to file the report within 10 days of the accident may lead to the suspension of your driver license or vehicle registration. These penalties are strictly enforced by the New York State DMV to maintain accurate accident records. It is vital to complete the vehicle accident report template promptly, even if property damage seems minor at the scene of the collision.
Filing a police accident report does not relieve a driver of their individual responsibility to file the Report of Motor Vehicle Accident. While law enforcement uses their own forms for documentation, drivers are still legally responsible for filing an MV-104 if injury or significant property damage occurred. This ensures the Department of Motor Vehicles receives a direct account from the involved parties.
The traffic accident report form requires details on the accident location, vehicle information, insurance codes, and a description of injuries or property damage. You must also provide road conditions, weather details, and a diagram of the scene. Completing an insurance accident report form accurately helps document the event for both state records and potential insurance claims.
You can use pdfFiller to fill out, edit, and manage your Report of Motor Vehicle Accident directly in your web browser. The platform allows you to complete all fields, add annotations, and save or download your document as a PDF. pdfFiller keeps your documents in secure encrypted storage and maintains compliance with GDPR and SOC 2 standards for your protection.
