Getting your Kentucky accident report is one thing. Understanding what it actually says is another.

Kentucky collision reports contain numbered codes, abbreviations, technical roadway terminology, injury classifications, vehicle information, diagrams, and short descriptions that can be difficult to interpret if you do not work with these reports regularly.

This guide explains the most common Kentucky State Police (KSP) crash report codes and terminology in plain English, including what fields such as “Manner of Collision,” “Pre-Collision Vehicle Action,” “Contributing Factors,” and “Injury Severity” mean.

This is public information intended to help Kentucky drivers understand collision reports. It is not legal advice.

First: Is This Only for Kentucky State Police Reports?

Not necessarily.

Kentucky law places KSP in charge of maintaining the Commonwealth’s vehicle-accident reporting system. Under the current [Kentucky traffic collision reporting regulation], law-enforcement officers use the E-CRASH collision reporting system in the Kentucky Open Portal Solution (KYOPS). The originating police agency remains responsible for providing reports to authorized parties. (Kentucky Legislature)

That means many of the same fields and classifications can appear whether your crash was investigated by:

• Kentucky State Police
• A city police department
• A county law-enforcement agency
• Another Kentucky agency using the statewide collision-reporting system

The exact appearance of the printed report can vary depending on the version of the system and agency.

---

Quick Key: Common Kentucky Crash Report Abbreviations

Abbreviation / term	What it generally means
KSP	Kentucky State Police
KYOPS	Kentucky Open Portal Solution
E-CRASH	Kentucky’s electronic law-enforcement collision reporting system
VIN	Vehicle Identification Number
EMS	Emergency Medical Services
CMV	Commercial Motor Vehicle
CDL	Commercial Driver’s License
PBT	Preliminary breath test
MP / Milepoint	Location along a numbered highway
RDWY	Roadway
NB	Northbound
SB	Southbound
EB	Eastbound
WB	Westbound
UNK	Unknown
PDO	Property-damage-only collision
Unit	A vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, or other involved road user identified separately in the report

KSP specifically instructs users of its civilian collision system to enter “UNK” when information is unknown, and Kentucky’s collision data system contains fields for vehicles, people, roadway characteristics, environmental conditions, injuries, and other crash details. (KSP App)

---

How a Kentucky Collision Report Is Organized

Although the layout can differ, it helps to think of a Kentucky collision report as having several major sections:

1. Crash identification and location
2. Roadway and weather conditions
3. How the collision happened
4. Information about each vehicle or “unit”
5. Driver and passenger information
6. Injury information
7. Contributing factors
8. Officer narrative and crash diagram
9. Investigation information

The most confusing portions are usually the coded fields. The sections below break those down.

---

1. Master File Number / Report Number

The report will contain identifying numbers used to locate and track the collision.

You may see terms such as:

• Master File #
• Report number
• Case number
• Local code

Keep these numbers when dealing with police, an insurance company, or an attorney. They help distinguish your collision from other reports involving similar names, dates, or locations.

Kentucky’s uniform crash-report form includes fields for the master file number, investigating agency, agency identifier, local code, roadway, milepoint, date, time, and location. (KYTC)

---

2. “Unit 1,” “Unit 2,” and Additional Units

Kentucky reports separate vehicles and other involved road users into units.

For example:

• Unit 1 may be one vehicle
• Unit 2 may be the other vehicle
• Unit 3 may identify another vehicle in a multi-car collision

A pedestrian, bicyclist, or another type of road user may also be separately identified within the report system.

Do not assume that a unit number by itself establishes legal fault. Read the unit information together with the officer’s narrative, diagram, contributing factors, citations, physical evidence, and the rest of the report.

---

Manner of Collision Codes

One of the most useful fields is “Manner of Collision.”

Kentucky’s published collision data dictionary uses the following classifications: (KYTC)

Code	Manner of collision	Plain-English meaning
01	Angle	Vehicles collided at an angle
02	Backing	Collision involved a backing movement
03	Head On	Front of one vehicle struck front of another
04	Opposing Left Turn	A left-turning vehicle collided with opposing traffic
05	Rear End	Front of one vehicle struck rear of another
06	Rear to Rear	Rear portions of two vehicles collided
07	Sideswipe — Opposite Direction	Vehicles traveling opposite ways sideswiped
08	Sideswipe — Same Direction	Vehicles traveling the same way sideswiped
09	Single Vehicle	Only one vehicle was involved

This classification describes the configuration of the collision, not necessarily why the collision occurred.

A “rear end” code, for example, tells you how the vehicles collided. Other portions of the report may address factors such as following too closely, distraction, road conditions, or an improper lane change.

---

What Does “Pre-Collision Vehicle Action” Mean?

This field describes what each vehicle was doing immediately before the collision.

Common Kentucky codes include: (KYTC)

Code	Vehicle action
01	Avoiding object in roadway
02	Backing
03	Changing lanes
05	Going straight ahead
07	Making left turn
08	Making right turn
09	Making U-turn
10	Merging
11	Overtaking
12	Parked
13	Slowing or stopped
14	Starting from parking
15	Starting in traffic
16	Stopped in traffic
17	Wrong way
18	Entering or exiting driveway
19	Entering or exiting private property
97	Other
98	Unknown

This can be an important field in intersection, lane-change, merging, and parking-lot crashes.

---

What Are “Contributing Factors”?

Kentucky collision reports allow officers to record circumstances they believe contributed to a collision.

Those factors are divided into categories such as:

• Human factors
• Vehicle factors
• Environmental factors

Kentucky’s traffic-collision reporting system allows multiple factors to be recorded rather than forcing the officer to identify only one cause. Kentucky’s collision statistics explain that officers may identify up to three driver factors for a driver, two vehicle factors for a vehicle, and two environmental factors for a collision. (KYTC)

Common Human Contributing Factors

Examples found in Kentucky collision reporting include:

• Alcohol involvement
• Cell phone use
• Disregarding a traffic control
• Distraction
• Driver inattention
• Drug involvement
• Failed to yield
• Fatigue
• Fell asleep
• Following too closely
• Improper backing
• Improper passing
• Misjudged clearance
• Not under proper control
• Overcorrecting
• Too fast for conditions
• Turning improperly
• Unsafe speed
• Weaving in traffic

(KYTC)

Important: “Unsafe Speed” and “Too Fast for Conditions” Aren’t Necessarily the Same Thing

A driver can potentially be traveling below the posted speed limit and still be described as driving too fast for conditions.

For example, weather, standing water, ice, visibility, or roadway geometry may make a normally lawful speed unsafe.

Conversely, an “unsafe speed” entry may concern the officer’s assessment of the vehicle’s speed itself.

Read the field together with the narrative and roadway-condition sections rather than interpreting the phrase in isolation.

---

Vehicle Contributing Factors

The Kentucky code system also recognizes mechanical or vehicle-related factors, including:

• Defective brakes
• Defective headlights
• Load-securement problems
• Other defective lighting
• Oversized load
• Overweight vehicle
• Steering failure
• Tire failure
• Defective tow hitch or separation of units
• Other
• None detected

Kentucky’s published code sheet distinguishes these from driver behavior and environmental causes.

---

Environmental Contributing Factors

Environmental factors may include:

• Animals
• Construction work zone
• Debris in roadway
• Fixed objects
• Glare
• Holes, deep ruts, or bumps
• Improperly parked vehicles
• Improper or non-working traffic controls
• Maintenance or utility work
• Shoulder defects or drop-offs
• Slippery surface
• Obstructed or limited view
• Water pooling
• Other
• None detected

 

These fields can be particularly important in crashes involving bad weather, roadway defects, construction zones, or visibility problems.

---

Reading the Roadway Condition Codes

Kentucky’s collision data dictionary uses specific codes for the condition of the road surface. (KYTC)

Code	Road condition
01	Dry
02	Ice
03	Sand, mud, dirt, oil, or gravel
04	Snow / slush
05	Wet
06	Standing or moving water
07	Flooded
08	Gravel
09	Sand
10	Oil
11	Mud / dirt
97	Other

The report may separately identify weather and roadway condition. Those are not necessarily the same thing. It might have stopped raining before the crash, for example, while the road remained wet.

---

“Location of First Event” Explained

The Location 1st Event field tells you where the first crash-related event occurred relative to the roadway.

Kentucky classifications include: (KYTC)

Code	Location
01	Gore
02	Median
03	On roadway
04	Outside shoulder — left
05	Outside shoulder — right
06	Shoulder
07	Parking lane or zone
97	Other property

A gore is the triangular area where lanes or ramps split, often marked by diagonal pavement stripes.

---

Understanding Injury Severity Codes

This is one of the most important parts of a Kentucky accident report.

Kentucky’s collision system uses five injury-severity levels: (KYTC)

Code	Report classification
01	Fatal
02	Suspected serious injury
03	Suspected minor injury
04	Possible injury
05	None detected

You may also encounter the national-style KABCO shorthand in Kentucky crash data:

• K — Fatal
• A — Suspected serious injury
• B — Suspected minor injury
• C — Possible injury
• O — No apparent injury / property damage only

Kentucky transportation studies use this KABCO scale when analyzing crash severity. (KYTC)

“None Detected” Does Not Mean “No Injury Could Exist”

The report records what was known or observed during the collision investigation. Symptoms can change after the scene, and the police officer completing a collision report is not providing a complete medical diagnosis.

For that reason, compare an injury entry with ambulance records, emergency-room records, later medical treatment, and other documentation rather than assuming the collision-report classification tells the entire medical story.

---

Person-Type Codes

Kentucky reports also classify the role of people connected to the collision. (KYTC)

Code	Person type
01	Driver
02	Passenger
03	Pedestrian
04	Person on animal-drawn/ridden transportation
05	Bicyclist
06	Train engineer
07	Witness
08	Owner
09	Property-damage owner

Passenger-position information may be recorded separately, such as front-left, front-right, second-row positions, sleeper compartments, cargo areas, or a person riding on the vehicle exterior. (KYTC)

---

Seat Belt and Restraint Codes

Kentucky’s report system records the restraint used by an occupant. Common entries include: (KYTC)

Code	Restraint
01	Shoulder/lap belt
02	Installed but not in use
03	Lap belt only
04	Shoulder belt only
05	Child safety seat
06	Helmet
07	Helmet not used
08	Other passive restraint
09	Not installed
10	Child booster seat
11	Forward-facing child restraint system
12	Rear-facing child restraint system

The report may also contain separate fields concerning airbag deployment, ejection from the vehicle, or whether someone was trapped or extricated.

---

What Does “Extricated” Mean?

Extrication means a person had to be freed from the vehicle.

Kentucky’s published coding materials distinguish between:

• Not trapped
• Extricated by mechanical means
• Freed by non-mechanical means

Mechanical extrication can include rescue tools used by firefighters or emergency personnel.

---

What Does “Ejected” Mean?

An ejection entry concerns whether an occupant was thrown partly or completely from the vehicle during the crash.

Kentucky’s reporting codes distinguish among:

• Not ejected
• Partially ejected
• Totally ejected

Older published Kentucky code materials also identify possible ejection paths, such as a side door, side window, windshield, rear window, roof opening, or another path.

---

What Does “First Harmful Event” or “First Event” Mean?

A collision can involve several events.

For example, a car might:

1. Leave the travel lane
2. Strike a guardrail
3. Overturn
4. Strike another object

Kentucky’s reporting system records events involving both fixed and non-fixed objects, including pedestrians, bicycles, other vehicles, animals, guardrails, trees, utility poles, buildings, and other objects. It also recognizes non-collision events such as overturning or running off the roadway.

The first listed event therefore may not be the event that caused the greatest damage or injury.

---

How to Read the Officer’s Crash Diagram

The diagram is often one of the easiest ways to understand a complicated report.

Look for:

• Direction each vehicle was traveling
• Lane positioning
• Intersection geometry
• Vehicle paths before impact
• Approximate point of impact
• Traffic lights or stop signs
• Road edges and medians
• Where the vehicles came to rest

Then compare the diagram with the Manner of Collision, Pre-Collision Vehicle Action, and officer narrative.

If one section appears inconsistent with another, make a note of it rather than assuming one field automatically controls.

---

How to Read the Officer Narrative

The narrative is where the investigating officer can describe the collision in ordinary language rather than only entering codes.

Common shorthand may include:

Shorthand	Meaning
Veh.	Vehicle
Unit 1 / U1	Unit 1
Unit 2 / U2	Unit 2
NB	Northbound
SB	Southbound
EB	Eastbound
WB	Westbound
RDWY	Roadway
POI	Point of impact
UNK	Unknown
EMS	Emergency medical services
CMV	Commercial motor vehicle
VIN	Vehicle identification number

Individual officers and departments can use additional shorthand, so the meaning should always be considered in context.

---

Does a Contributing-Factor Code Mean the Driver Got a Ticket?

Not necessarily.

The collision report contains fields used to describe how the officer recorded the crash circumstances. A traffic citation is a separate enforcement action.

For example, a report might record:

Failed to yield

as a contributing factor. That does not, by itself, tell you whether the driver was formally cited for a failure-to-yield offense.

Check the report narrative and any available citation records before treating a contributing-factor entry as proof that a ticket was issued.

---

What Does “Investigation Complete” Mean?

Kentucky’s electronic collision system contains an Investigation Complete field.

The state’s data dictionary explains that the collision is treated as incomplete until that field is marked “Yes.” The report also contains fields indicating whether photographs were taken and, when applicable, the photographer’s unit number. (KYTC)

This helps explain why a collision report may not be immediately available after a crash.

---

Officer Report vs. Civilian Collision Report

These are not the same thing.

If a law-enforcement officer responds to the collision and tells you the officer will complete a report, KSP says you do not need to file a second civilian collision report. KSP currently advises allowing about 10 days for an officer-generated report to be completed and become available in its system. (KSP App)

A civilian collision report is used when the accident was not investigated by a law-enforcement officer, subject to Kentucky’s reporting requirements.

Under [KRS 189.635], a driver involved in a collision with more than $500 in property damage and no law-enforcement investigation generally must file the required report with KSP within 10 days.

---

Who Can Obtain a Kentucky Accident Report?

Kentucky collision reports are not ordinary unrestricted public records.

[KRS 189.635] provides access to specified people and entities, including:

• Parties to the collision
• Parents or guardians of a minor involved
• Insurers or their authorized designees
• Attorneys representing the parties
• Certain parties to litigation
• Certain government agencies
• Qualifying news-gathering organizations under additional statutory rules

 

---

What Should You Check When You Receive Your Report?

Read the report from beginning to end and compare it with what you remember and what other evidence shows.

Pay particular attention to:

• Names and contact information
• Vehicle make, model, plate, and VIN
• Insurance information
• Date and time
• Exact crash location
• Direction of travel
• Manner of collision
• Pre-collision vehicle actions
• Contributing factors
• Weather and road conditions
• Injury classification
• Seat belt or restraint use
• Officer narrative
• Collision diagram
• Witness information
• Whether photographs were taken

An incorrect entry does not necessarily mean the entire report is unusable, but potentially important discrepancies should be identified early.

---

A Police Report Is One Part of the Crash Evidence

A Kentucky collision report can contain valuable information, but it should be considered alongside other available evidence, such as:

• Crash-scene photographs
• Dashcam or surveillance video
• Vehicle damage
• Witness statements
• 911 recordings
• Medical and EMS records
• Traffic citations
• Event data recorder information in appropriate cases
• Commercial-driver or trucking records when applicable

For an injury claim, the report is often the starting point rather than the complete story.

---

Official Sources & References

Kentucky Revised Statutes § 189.635 — Vehicle accident reports
Kentucky Legislature — KRS 189.635

502 KAR 15:010 — Kentucky traffic collision reporting system, E-CRASH/KYOPS, and report fees
Kentucky Legislature — 502 KAR 15:010

Kentucky Collision Data Dictionary — fields and codes used in the KSP collision system
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet — Collision Data Dictionary PDF

Kentucky Uniform Police Traffic Collision Report Code Sheet
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet — Collision Report Code Sheet PDF

KSP Civilian Collision Reports and FAQs
Kentucky State Police — Civilian Collision Reports

KSP Crime and Traffic Data / Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts
Kentucky State Police — Crime and Traffic Data

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Traffic Records Resources
KYTC — Highway Safety Resources