New York Accident Resources and City Guides
STATE RESOURCE GUIDE · SOURCES CHECKED OCTOBER 23, 2026
Find the right New York crash-report agency, understand general filing periods, and organize your next steps.
CITY RESOURCES
New York City accident reports and local resources
Find local report instructions, road-safety context, and official traffic sources for New York City.
Request your crash report
New York DMV offers an online crash-report sales portal and a Records Request Navigator. Gather the crash date, county, and identifying information before searching. Check availability before paying and save downloaded records promptly; DMV describes a limited access window for purchased reports.
New York DMV crash-report ordering ↗
Ordering a report and filing a report are different
Buying a copy of a report does not fulfill a driver’s separate reporting obligations. Use DMV’s motorist-report instructions to check whether you must submit your own report. Keep proof of submission with your claim file.
DMV motorist crash-report instructions ↗
General lawsuit filing periods
Personal injury: generally 3 years. Property damage: generally 3 years.
CPLR §214 generally gives three years for personal-injury and property-damage actions. That is not the deadline for every insurance benefit, government claim, or other type of action.
These are general periods, not a calculation of your deadline. Government notice requirements, minors, wrongful death, insurance contracts, and other circumstances can change the rules. Ask a licensed attorney to check the relevant jurisdiction, claim type, and starting date promptly. Do not wait for a report, an insurer’s response, or a website reply before checking a deadline.
Check current road information
Agency traffic information helps with travel planning. It is not a complete record of every crash and does not establish fault. Check the source’s own update time. For an emergency, call 911.
Prepare a useful claim file
- Record the collision date, location, report number, and investigating agency.
- Keep original photographs and witness contact information.
- Save repair estimates, towing and storage invoices, and rental receipts.
- Track claim numbers, correspondence, and dates of insurer calls.
- List questions about reporting duties, insurance notice, and lawsuit deadlines separately.
Continue with the right resource
Accident checklist · Expense tracker · Consultation preparation · All state resources
Educational information, not legal advice. Sources checked October 23, 2026. No attorney review is represented. The linked agencies control their own access rules, fees, and procedures.