City of Nashville, TN

08/17/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/18/2022 08:16

MNPD to Launch New Self-Reporting Program for Certain Property Damage Vehicle Crashes

Chief John Drake today announced a new program effective Monday, August 22, that will allow motorists involved in many property damage crashes to self-report driver information and collision details through an on-line portal, allowing them to much more quickly go about their day.

The system, developed by Lexis-Nexis, will route the completed reports to the MNPD's Records Division, from where the involved parties and their insurance companies can receive copies as needed.

"As the city has grown and the demand for police services has increased, calls must be prioritized according to immediate public safety needs," Chief Drake said. "During peak call volume, most property damage crashes, particularly those not blocking major thoroughfares, are lower priority calls in the classification hierarchy. This can sometimes mean long wait times, something we hope to dramatically reduce with this new program."

Motorists involved in property damage crashes, including those in private parking lots, are eligible to self-report through the new system so long as:

  • The parties have agreed to share their driver license, vehicle and insurance information, and agree on the circumstances of the crash
  • There are no injuries
  • No involved vehicle is blocking a roadway due to inoperability
  • The crash does not involve a hit & run
  • The crash does not involve a DUI or other criminal matter

Property damage crash calls received by the Department of Emergency Communications will be triaged for a determination as to whether the collision qualifies for the program. If so, the call taker will transfer the caller to a dedicated 800 line. The caller will then be prompted to enter their cell phone number and will receive a link to begin the report. After successful submission, the parties will receive a report number through which they or their insurance carriers can receive a copy.

This new self-reporting system is for property damage crashes only. Officers will continue responding to the scenes of crashes involving injury or death, crashes where one or more parties may be impaired, crashes resulting from the commission of a crime, hit & run crashes on public roadways, and a crash that involves a serious disturbance, to include violent arguments or confrontations between the parties.

More information on the self-reporting of property damage crashes can be found on the MNPD's website and through HubNashville.

Fraudulently completing a crash report, or knowingly providing false information on a report, is a violation of Tennessee law.