The New York Police Department recently announced a new “no report” car crash policy, meaning that police officers will not respond to minor car accidents, according to an article from StreetsBlog. This policy is now being implemented city-wide after successfully testing it in Staten Island last March.
Though they had planned to eventually apply the policy city-wide, NYPD is rolling it out now due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The virus, which has already infected nearly 150,000 and killed over 6,000 New Yorkers, has put an unprecedented strain on New York City’s first responders and healthcare providers. The new NYPD policy aims to free up some police manpower to respond to COVID-19 related calls instead of minor traffic accidents. The NYPD is optimistic about the policy because, during the Staten Island pilot testing, response times were reduced by 9%.
The policy states that police officers will not respond to car accidents resulting in minor damage to the car or property damage, but they will be required to respond to accidents in which:
- Someone sustained an injury or was killed
- One party involved in the accident disputes the other party’s claims or version of the story
- A witness or third party called 911 to report the accident
- One party involved in the accident flees the scene
- One or both cars needs to be towed
- An animal is hit and injured or killed
- A parked car was damaged and the owner cannot be located
If you are involved in a minor traffic accident, but none of the above situations applies to you, your 911 call will be diverted to a pre-recorded message. The message will describe the new policy and instruct you on how to proceed.
Whenever you are involved in a car accident, there are some basic steps you should take to protect yourself and obtain necessary information from the other party. You should always exchange drivers license and insurance information with the other party, as well as their car’s registration. Take photos of any damage to your car or injuries you sustained, if possible. Write down the other car’s license plate number and a description of the vehicle in case you need it later. If either car involved in the crash sustained damage worth over $1,000, you must file a Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (MV104) with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as soon as possible. This form can be found online or at a local police station.
Contact a New York car accident attorney
If you sustained an injury in a car crash, this new NYPD policy does not apply to you. Be sure to call the police and file a report immediately to record the nature of the accident and your injuries. If you were hurt in an accident in New York, the team at Hach & Rose, LLP are prepared to assist you. We have taken a proactive approach to protect our clients and employees alike, and we are able to provide the same high-quality service that you have come to expect. We can conduct consultations online, and are still here to answer your calls, emails, or messages, so reach out to us for assistance today.