(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Several police departments including Colorado Springs and Fountain have been on Accident Alert status since Monday morning, Dec. 9, which means police must prioritize calls due to the high volume of crashes that tend to happen during adverse weather.
What is Accident Alert status?
According to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), Accident Alert or Cold Reporting status helps alleviate strain on police departments when there is a high volume of traffic incidents in a particular jurisdiction. The status allows drivers to report a crash after the fact without being penalized.
Normally, under Colorado state law, drivers involved in a crash must report it immediately to authorities. However, during inclement weather, police will sometimes go on Accident Alert to avoid having to respond to every call.
Should I call 911 during Accident Alerts status?
Certain crashes should still be reported to authorities immediately. CSP said drivers should call 911 if they are involved in a crash that falls under any of the following categories:
Someone has been injured or killed
Any of the cars involved are disabled
Drugs are suspected to be involved
There is damage to property (road signs, utility poles, etc.)
Someone involved in the crash fled the scene
Someone involved in the crash has not provided insurance information
How to file a crash report after the fact
If none of the above criteria for calling 911 apply and all involved drivers agree to cold report (report after the fact), drivers should exchange contact and insurance information and take photos of any damage when safe to do so. Once those steps have been completed, drivers can fill out an online accident report which is filed with the Colorado Department of Revenue.
According to the Department of Revenue, reports filed online are not investigated by law enforcement, and the reports are kept for record purposes only. To obtain a copy of the report, drivers must pay a fee and submit request form 2489.
Online accident reports should still be submitted to your insurance as soon as possible.
