Y'all need to understand the distinction between "accident report" and
"police report."

Most places, the cops will show up to take a report only if there's an
injury or alcohol.  But you still must file an accident report with the
California DMV within 10 days if damage exceeds $500.  The report form
can be found on line at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/sr1.pdf

Here's an excerpt from the instructions on the back of the form:

  State law says the driver of any motor vehicle �who is in any manner
  involved in an accident� in this state (or his/her designated
  representative) must report the accident to the Department of Motor
  Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if
  there was more than $500 damage to any one person�s property. The law
  requires this report regardless of fault. Drivers must also exchange
  their insurance company�s name and address, and their policy number,
  at the accident scene. You must report accidents that do not occur on
  a street or highway, except when the accident either involved only a
  vehicle or vehicles not required to be registered (such as an off-road
  or OHV vehicle that can�t be legally operated on a street or highway,
  an implement of husbandry, or a snowmobile) or it occurred on the
  driver�s own property, involved only property belonging to the driver
  of the motor vehicle, and there was no injury or death.

  You must make the report on this form (SR-1) to the DMV besides any other
  report filed with a police department, sheriff�s office, insurance company,
  or the California Highway Patrol. Their reports do not satisfy this filing
  requirement. Your insurance agent, attorney, or other designated
  representative may file the report for you, but is not legally required to
  do this. You may use an attachment to the SR-1 report for any additional
  information, including a copy of any enforcement agency report.

Regards,
Steve Green -- Folsom CA
Zefram -- 1984 Wolfsburg Westfalia

On Mon, 11 Jan 1999 07:49:21 -0800, Matthew.Pollard@OREADCA.COM wrote:

>NOT SO! I was hit in San Francisco (1993, 62 bug :-(  . We called 911 for
>some police help. 911's response: "anybody hurt? everybody sober?" The cops
>never showed up...  Maybe I should have said " I think the other driver is
>drunk"
>-matthew
>
>
>> KBatzler wrote:
>> >
>> > -
>> > >If every fender bender required a police report, the police would be
>> > >doing nothing else but make reports.
>> > >If anyone in a state other than New York would care to check their
>> > >state's drivers manual, I am sure we would all be intereted in the
>> > >findings.
>> >
>> > In CA, every collision with damage over $350 (I think, unless it's
>> changed)
>> > requires a police report.
>> >
>> I wonder how you are supposed to know that at the time the collision
>> occurs! I would check your state drivers manual, that sounds weird to
>> me.