Wondering how to remove an accident report from your record in Ohio?
If you’ve been in a car accident in Ohio, the report that follows can have lasting consequences—even if the crash was minor, and you weren’t at fault. Accident reports can influence insurance rates, background checks, job applications, and future legal claims. While you can’t always erase a crash from your driving history, there are limited circumstances where you can remove, correct, or suppress an accident report from your record.
If you are injured in any type of crash, call an experienced Cincinnati car accident lawyer at Young, Reverman & Bolotin for legal help. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about how accident reports get removed, and when to involve a personal injury attorney.
Table of Contents
What Is an Accident Report?
An accident report is a written record completed by a law enforcement officer after a motor vehicle crash. In Ohio, officers must file a report when:
- The crash causes injury or death
- Property damage exceeds $1,000
- A driver is suspected of a traffic violation or crime
This report includes key details about the incident: who was involved, statements from drivers or witnesses, a diagram of the crash, and the officer’s opinion on what happened. That last part—the officer’s opinion—can cause major problems if it misrepresents the facts.
Who Has Access to the Report?
In Ohio, crash reports are:
- Filed with the local police department, sheriff’s office, or Ohio State Highway Patrol
- Available through the Ohio Department of Public Safety (Crash Retrieval Portal)
- Often shared with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and insurance companies
Even if you’re not ticketed, the report can affect your driving record, impact your insurance premiums, and be used as evidence in a personal injury lawsuit.
When Can You Remove an Accident Report from Your Record in Ohio?
In most cases, you can’t erase a crash report that was legally filed. However, there are options to reduce its impact or correct false information.
You can amend factual errors: If the report contains mistakes (wrong vehicle, misidentified driver, incorrect sequence of events), you can request a correction.
You can submit a supplemental statement: If your version of events wasn’t fully captured, some departments allow you to submit a written rebuttal or clarification.
You can dispute fault determinations: Officers may indicate fault in their narrative. This is not a legal finding but can still affect insurance and legal claims. A personal injury lawyer can challenge these assertions in court or negotiations.
You can request driving record updates: If the crash appears on your BMV driving abstract, and you were not cited or found at fault, you may be able to petition for it to be removed.
How to Challenge an Accident Report in Ohio
If you need to challenge an Ohio accident report, there are some basic steps you should follow.
Step 1: Get the Report
Request a copy from the local police department, sheriff’s office, or via the Ohio DPS Crash Report Portal.
Step 2: Review for Inaccuracies
Check everything: dates, times, vehicle details, driver names, and the officer’s summary. Pay close attention to any wording that suggests fault.
Step 3: Gather Evidence
If there are errors, collect proof, such as:
- Dashcam footage
- Photos from the crash scene
- Witness statements
- Repair estimates
- Medical records
Step 4: Contact the Department
Reach out to the law enforcement agency that filed the report. Some agencies have specific procedures for submitting corrections or supplemental statements.
Step 5: Work With an Attorney
If you’re disputing a fault determination, or if the report is being used against you by insurers or in court, it’s time to bring in legal backup. An attorney can help amend the report, challenge its contents in court, or file motions to exclude it from evidence.
Can You Remove Points from Your BMV Report?
Ohio uses a 12-point system, in which if you get 12-points, you can have your license suspended. In that same vein, those points are reported to your insurance company and can impact your premiums and even your coverage.
However, you can mask points from your Ohio license through a course. A defensive or remedial driving course will help you fight the points on your license. Now, the course doesn’t immediately remove points, but it somewhat masks them in your saying that you’ll do a better job to drive better and that you’re taking a class for it.
The only way to really have points removed is to fight and show that the points were inappropriately added to your license. For example, if you received a speeding ticket for five mph over which should be one or two points, then you see that they added seven points and a reckless driving charge, then that’s just incorrect.
To contest the points added onto your license, then you’ll need to get copies of all your tickets from the recent year or two and head to the BMV. At the BMV, you can show what you did receive tickets for and contest the other points that they can’t contribute to your driving record within the court system.
Does It Matter if You Have Accidents on Your Record?
Correcting the record isn’t just about points and paperwork. It’s about protecting your rights. An inaccurate accident report can cost you thousands in insurance premiums, tank your chances in a personal injury lawsuit, or create a false paper trail that follows you for years. If you’re the victim of a misreported crash—or if you’re being wrongly blamed for an accident you didn’t cause—you need to act quickly.
Talk to a Lawyer Before the Report Does Any More Damage
Don’t let one bad report define you. Our attorneys will fight for the truth—and your future. Call us now at 513-400-0000 for a free consultation. The sooner we step in, the more we can do to set the record straight.
