The police dispatcher can advise drivers about what to do next. Even if the dispatcher recommends walking into the police station to file the report, drivers can insist on having an officer come to the scene. But drivers need to use good judgment. If the accident is a fender bender on North Oak Trafficway during rush hour, for example, moving the cars to the side of the road to wait for the police might be safer than remaining in the middle of the street. If you're involved in an accident on private property, such as in a parking lot, don't assume that calling the police will be fruitless.
Policies vary among municipalities, however, regarding police response and private property.
The dispatcher can inform you about the procedure in a particular situation. A report taken at the accident scene by police officers is always better than one walked in, said Debra D. Freidell, a Kansas City lawyer who practices in the area of personal injury. Because it serves as a permanent account of the accident, the police report is important. Drivers need to be polite, courteous and cooperative with the investigating officers. He is a corporal with the Gladstone Department of Public Safety.