Traffic Accident Data

Minnesota Statutes, section 169.09, requires peace officers who investigate certain traffic accidents to send a report to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) following the accident. The Commissioner of Public Safety has determined what kinds of traffic accident data peace officers must submit. Traffic accident report forms are available from DPS.

According to section 169.09, subdivision 13, the data in a traffic accident report sent to the Commissioner of Public Safety can’t be disclosed to members of the public – except for any of the types of data classified as public under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.82, subdivisions 3 (request for service data) and 6 (response or incident data). So if the only documentation a law enforcement agency maintains about a traffic accident is a copy of the report it sent to the Commissioner of Public Safety, members of the public can get access only to any request for service, or response or incident data contained in the report. 

Yes, as allowed by Minnesota Statutes, section 169.09, subdivision 13.

Law enforcement agencies should look to Minnesota Statutes, section 260B.171, subdivision 5(d), for more information.

If an agency maintains traffic accident data in any other reports, such as police reports, incident reports, call for service reports, or any other record, or form other than the report sent to the Commissioner of Public Safety, the data are classified by Minnesota Statutes, section 13.82.

A law enforcement agency may charge for copies of the data based on the requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 13.03, subdivision 3, or section 13.04, subdivision 3. Under Minnesota Statutes, section 169.09, subdivision 13(e), only the Commissioner of Public Safety may charge the $5 fee for the report.