Guides

Plain-language explanations of how crash reporting works in California — what the dispatch codes mean, what happens after a collision, and the deadlines that apply.

• What CHP dispatch codes mean

  A plain-language decoder for the codes that appear in California Highway Patrol dispatch logs: 1179, 1182, 1183, 11-44, 20001 and more.

• How to read a CHP dispatch log

  Dispatch logs are written in real time during an emergency. Here is how they are structured and what their quirks actually mean.

• What happens after a crash in California

  The sequence from the 911 call to the official collision report, and roughly how long each stage takes.

• Deadlines after a California crash

  California time limits for injury, property damage, wrongful death, claims against government agencies, and crashes involving minors.

• Who can get a California collision report

  California restricts collision reports to parties of interest. Here is who qualifies and why the report is not a public document.

• If the other driver left the scene

  What happens in a California hit-and-run investigation, and how uninsured motorist coverage works when the driver is never found.

• If your vehicle was towed after a crash

  How CHP rotation tows work, why storage fees accumulate daily, and what happens if a vehicle is left too long.

• What happens after a fatal crash

  The investigation, the coroner's process, records available to families, and financial assistance for funeral costs in California.