If you were involved in a car accident in Bowling Green, Kentucky, you may need a copy of the official police collision report when handling an insurance claim, vehicle damage, or a personal injury case.
If the Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD) investigated the crash, you can request the report in person, online, or by mail. The information below is based on current guidance from BGPD and Kentucky law.
Quick Facts — Bowling Green, KY Accident Reports
- Agency: Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD)
- BGPD copy fee: $5
- Availability: BGPD advises allowing 5–8 working days after the accident
- Online access: Available through BuyCrash
- In-person location: 911 Kentucky Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101
- Central Records hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays
- Records Section phone: 270-393-4510
- Online portal: https://www.buycrash.com/
Who Can Request a Bowling Green Collision Report?
Kentucky collision reports are confidential records and are not generally available to any member of the public who asks for one.
Bowling Green Police states that authorized people who may receive a collision report include:
- An involved person
- A parent of an involved juvenile
- An insurance company for an involved person
- Authorized legal representation for an involved party with written authorization
Kentucky law provides additional detail. Under KRS 189.635, accident reports may also be made available to certain other authorized parties, including attorneys representing parties to the accident and qualifying parties to litigation.
For most drivers, passengers, vehicle owners, and their representatives, the important point is that you should be prepared to establish your connection to the collision.
Kentucky law generally treats these accident reports as confidential and exempt from ordinary disclosure under the Kentucky Open Records Act except where KRS 189.635 specifically permits release.
Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Bowling Green Accident Report
Step 1 — Gather Your Crash Information
Before requesting your report, collect as much identifying information as you can.
Useful information includes:
- Report number
- Driver’s name
- Date of the accident
- Location of the accident
- Your driver’s license or other appropriate photo identification
If the investigating officer gave you a report or case number at the scene, keep it available. BGPD specifically requires the report number for mailed requests.
Step 2 — Allow Time for the Report to Become Available
Bowling Green Police advises requesters to allow 5–8 working days after the accident.
That means you should not necessarily expect the report to be available immediately after the collision.
If you cannot locate the report after that period, contact the BGPD Records Section at 270-393-4510 to confirm its status.
Step 3 — Choose How to Request the Report
Bowling Green Police currently provides three ways for an authorized person to obtain a collision report.
Option A: Request the Report Online
BGPD directs people seeking electronic copies of accident reports to BuyCrash.
Online portal:
https://www.buycrash.com/
BuyCrash is a third-party service that provides electronic access to qualifying accident reports.
The report must be entered into the system and available before it can be retrieved online.
Because fees charged through third-party electronic report services may differ from the fee charged directly by BGPD, review the amount displayed by BuyCrash before completing your purchase.
Option B: Request the Report in Person
You can obtain a copy of an accident report from the Bowling Green Police Department Central Records Unit at:
Bowling Green Police Department
Central Records Unit
911 Kentucky Street
Bowling Green, KY 42101
- Fee: $5
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Closed: Weekends and holidays
Bring sufficient identifying information to help Records staff locate the correct report and verify that you are authorized to receive it.
Option C: Request the Report by Mail
BGPD also accepts accident report requests by mail.
Send your request to:
Bowling Green Police Department
911 Kentucky Street
Bowling Green, KY 42101
According to BGPD, your mailed request should include:
- Your report number
- A self-addressed stamped envelope
- The driver’s name
- Date of the accident
- Location of the accident
- Fee payment
- A copy of your driver’s license
The current BGPD fee for obtaining a copy of the report is $5.
Because mailed requests require delivery and return mailing time, this option will generally take longer than obtaining a report in person or electronically.
What if You Don’t Know Your Report Number?
If you were given paperwork or an information card at the scene, check it first for a report or case number.
If you still cannot locate the number, contact the Bowling Green Police Department Records Section at 270-393-4510 and have the other identifying information about the crash available, such as:
- Driver’s name
- Date of collision
- Location of collision
The more identifying information you can provide, the easier it may be for Records staff to identify the correct report.
If Kentucky State Police Handled the Crash in Warren County
Not every crash in the Bowling Green area is investigated by BGPD.
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 3 serves Warren County along with Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, and Simpson counties.
KSP Post 3 is located at:
Kentucky State Police Post 3
3119 Nashville Road
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: 270-782-2010
If a Kentucky State Police trooper investigated your accident, obtain the report through KSP rather than Bowling Green Police.
KSP states that qualifying accident reports can be obtained through BuyCrash:
Eligible requesters may also send a written request to the Kentucky State Police Official Custodian of Records by mail, email, fax, or hand delivery according to KSP’s current records-request procedures.
Kentucky’s eligibility restrictions under KRS 189.635 still apply.
What if Police Did Not Investigate the Accident?
There is an important distinction between getting a police report and filing your own collision report.
Under Kentucky law, if a vehicle accident results in more than $500 in property damage and the crash is not investigated by a law enforcement officer, an involved driver generally must file a written accident report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days of the accident.
Kentucky State Police provides an online civilian collision reporting system for qualifying accidents that were not investigated by law enforcement.
If a BGPD or KSP officer responded, investigated the crash, and prepared a collision report, you generally do not need to file a separate civilian report for the same accident.
Why Your Bowling Green Accident Report Matters
A police collision report can contain important information about the accident and the responding officer’s investigation, such as:
- Names of the drivers and other parties
- Vehicle information
- Date, time, and location of the crash
- Insurance information documented at the scene
- Reported injuries or property damage
- Witness information, when available
- Officer observations
- Citations issued, when applicable
- Other information documented during the investigation
The report can be useful when:
- Reporting the collision to an insurance company
- Handling a vehicle damage claim
- Identifying the drivers and insurers involved
- Investigating how the collision occurred
- Pursuing a personal injury claim
- Handling a commercial vehicle, truck, rideshare, or multi-vehicle accident
A police collision report is an important piece of evidence, but it does not necessarily make the final legal determination about who is responsible for an accident.
If you were injured, keep a copy of the report with your other accident-related documentation, including photographs, medical records, repair estimates, insurance correspondence, and receipts.
Injured in a Bowling Green Car Accident?
Obtaining the police report is one step in documenting what happened after a serious collision.
If you were injured in a crash, a Bowling Green car accident attorney from Morrin Law Office can review the circumstances of the collision, available insurance coverage, your injuries, and other evidence involved in your claim during a free case evaluation.
Related Morrin Law Resources
- Bowling Green Car Accident Attorney
- Bowling Green Truck Accident Attorney
- Kentucky Rideshare Vehicle Accidents
- Kentucky Uber Accident Lawyer
- Kentucky Lyft Accident Lawyer
- Kentucky Car Accident Guide
Sources
- Bowling Green Police Department — Central Records Unit:
https://www.bgky.org/police/central-records-unit - Bowling Green Police Department — Main Department Page:
https://www.bgky.org/police - Kentucky Revised Statutes — KRS 189.635, Vehicle Accident Reports:
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54793 - Kentucky Administrative Regulations — 502 KAR 15:010, Traffic Collision Reports:
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/502/015/010/ - Kentucky State Police — Post 3:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/post3 - Kentucky State Police — Open Records Requests:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/open-records-requests
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