STATES / PENNSYLVANIA / PHILADELPHIA
Find Philadelphia’s crash-report request process, distinguish a city report from a Pennsylvania State Police report, and review local street-safety information. The correct starting point depends on the investigating agency and the kind of record you need.
LOCAL ROAD SAFETY CONTEXT
Philadelphia’s High Injury Network guides safety work
In its November 25, 2025 announcement of the Vision Zero Action Plan 2030, the city described a High Injury Network covering 12% of Philadelphia streets and accounting for 80% of traffic deaths and serious injuries. These figures describe the plan’s historical network analysis, not today’s crashes or the chance of a crash on your next trip.
Check the underlying map’s study period before comparing a corridor with another neighborhood. The city’s announcement also distinguishes the updated network from the previous version based on 2014–2018 data.
Request a city crash report through the Department of Records
Philadelphia’s official public-safety-report instructions offer online requests for crash reports and fire incident reports. Start on that city page and follow its link to the request application. Check the application’s eligibility requirements before providing personal information or payment.
The same instructions describe in-person and mail requests through the Public Safety Records Unit at City Hall. The city lists a two-to-three-week processing estimate for crash reports in that workflow; it is an estimate, not a guaranteed delivery date or a promise about online requests.
Philadelphia report requests, fees, and contact details ↗
A crash report is different from an EMS or incident report
The city lists police incident/offense reports and emergency medical services records separately from crash reports. Its guidance directs those other report requests to mail or in-person channels. If you need several record types, identify each one instead of assuming a crash-report purchase includes them all.
For a Pennsylvania State Police investigation, use the PSP route in our Pennsylvania guide. A collision on a regional bridge or outside the city may involve a different agency; check the officer’s paperwork before choosing a request service.
Current traffic sources: Philadelphia
511PA offers a traffic map and a Possible Travel Delays list. Check the roadway, county, direction, event description, and last-updated time. Roadwork and other restrictions may appear alongside crashes; a listing does not determine fault or confirm every injury.
These links open external traffic services. An automated Philadelphia feed is not connected to Accident Advisory. Check each source’s update time; a missing alert does not mean that a road is clear. Do not use traffic maps while driving.
Keep city streets and regional highways distinct
- For I-95, I-76, or I-676, record direction and the nearest exit or ramp.
- For a neighborhood street, note the intersection, block, and travel direction.
- Save the police report number and the Department of Records request confirmation separately.
- Keep treatment records, invoices, and insurer correspondence in your private claim file rather than posting them publicly.
Organize expenses and questions
Use the expense tracker and consultation preparation guide to assemble documents. See the Pennsylvania state guide for statewide report resources and general lawsuit periods.
Sources checked October 23, 2026. Procedures, fees, and availability may change. Educational information, not legal advice; no attorney review is represented. Call 911 for emergencies. Accident Advisory does not dispatch assistance.