To find out if someone was in a car accident in Mississippi, you have four main options: call 911 or the Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) non-emergency line, contact the local police or county sheriff’s office, check nearby hospitals, or request an official crash report through the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Which option you use first depends on how urgent the situation is.
Here is where to start based on your situation:
- If you fear the person is in immediate danger: Call 911 right away.
- For accidents on highways or interstates: Contact the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
- For accidents on city or county roads: Call the local police department or sheriff’s office.
- To get an official record: Request a Mississippi crash report through the DPS online portal.
This guide walks you through each step, from making the right calls in the first hours to requesting an official Mississippi crash report and protecting your legal rights after an accident is confirmed.
Who Can Access Mississippi Car Accident Reports
Before you request a report, you need to know whether you are legally allowed to receive one. Mississippi law limits who can obtain a crash report to protect the privacy of those involved.
The following parties can request a Mississippi Uniform Crash Report — the standardized document that law enforcement fills out at the scene of an accident:
- Any person directly involved in the accident, such as a driver or passenger
- The next of kin of a person involved — meaning the closest living legal or blood relative, such as a spouse, parent, adult child, or sibling
- An insurance carrier with a direct interest in the claim
- An attorney representing any eligible party
- Law enforcement officers
If you are a friend, coworker, or distant relative, you generally will not qualify to pull the report directly. In that case, calling the responding agency is often the fastest way to at least confirm whether a crash occurred.
What to Do First When You Cannot Reach Someone
When you cannot get in touch with someone and suspect they may have been in a crash, move through these steps in order.
Call 911 or Local Dispatch
Call 911 only if you believe the person is in immediate danger. Otherwise, call the non-emergency line for the police or sheriff’s office in the area where the person was last seen. Dispatchers can sometimes confirm whether a crash has been reported in a specific location, even if they cannot share names over the phone.
Contact Mississippi Highway Patrol Dispatch
For accidents on interstates, U.S. highways, or state highways, the MHP is the agency that responds. You can reach their dispatch by dialing *HP (*47) from a cell phone or by calling the regional MHP troop station for that area. A dispatcher can confirm whether troopers are working an active scene along a particular route.
Check MDOT Traffic and Local News
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) provides real-time traffic updates at mdottraffic.com. You can also check local news websites and official county sheriff Facebook pages for reports of recent crashes. These tools can help you confirm whether an accident happened on a likely route before any official report is filed.
Call Area Hospitals
HIPAA — the federal law that protects patient privacy — limits what hospitals can share. However, you can still call hospitals near the suspected crash location and ask whether a person by that name has been admitted. Hospitals are generally more willing to share information with immediate family members than with friends.
How to Get an Official Mississippi Crash Report
Once you confirm that a crash occurred, your next step is to get the official report. The agency that responded to the scene determines where you go to request it.
If the crash happened on an interstate, U.S. highway, or state highway, the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to the scene. You can request the report through the DPS online portal or directly from the MHP Driver Records Division.
For accidents inside city limits, the local police department handled the response. Contact that city’s police records division to request your copy of the report.
If the crash occurred in an unincorporated county area, the county sheriff’s office responded. You will need to request the report from that sheriff’s office records division.
Use the Mississippi DPS Online Portal
The DPS offers an online crash report request system at the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s website. Reports requested online are delivered by email, so save the download link when it arrives.
Request a Report from the Mississippi Highway Patrol
You can also request an MHP accident report by mail or in person. Send your written request to the Driver Records Division/Accident, PO Box 958, Jackson, Mississippi 39205. Reports are typically available a few days after the crash, though serious or fatal accident investigations can take longer.
Contact the Local Police or Sheriff’s Office Records Division
If the accident happened on a local road, contact that city’s police department or the county sheriff’s office directly. Each agency sets its own fees, hours, and process. When you call, ask what you need to bring — usually a photo ID, the case number, and the date and location of the crash.
What to Do If You Are Not an Involved Party
If you do not qualify as an involved party under Mississippi law, you still have options — especially if you are a family member.
Next of Kin Access and What Proof You Will Need
As next of kin, you will need to show proof of your relationship to the person involved in the crash. Most agencies require a government-issued photo ID and may ask for a death certificate or other legal documents confirming your relationship. In cases involving a fatality, a funeral home director can sometimes help the family obtain the Mississippi fatal crash report.
How an Attorney Can Help You Get the Report
An attorney can request a crash report on behalf of their client, including a family member pursuing a wrongful death claim. This is often the most effective route when you do not otherwise qualify for access.
At Maloney-Lyons Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, our attorneys routinely handle these requests to help families get the answers they need quickly.
How Long Mississippi Crash Reports Take
Waiting for a report can be stressful. Here is what you can typically expect:
- Online through the DPS portal: Available for a fee; processing times vary.
- By mail to the MHP: Request the report by mail from the Mississippi Highway Patrol; processing times and fees vary.
- Through local police or sheriff: Timelines and fees vary by department; contact the agency’s records division for current processing times and costs.
- Fatal or complex crashes: May take longer while the investigation is ongoing.
While you wait, write down everything you remember — the person’s last known location, their vehicle description, license plate number, and the time of your last contact. Saving text messages and call logs now can be critical information for investigators or your attorney later.
What to Do After You Confirm an Accident
Once you know a crash occurred, shift your focus to protecting your loved one’s health and legal rights. The steps you take in the hours and days after a crash can have a direct impact on any future insurance claim or legal case.
Get medical care immediately. Some serious injuries — including concussions, internal bleeding, and soft-tissue damage — do not show symptoms right away. Prompt medical treatment creates an official record that connects the injuries to the crash, which is essential for a personal injury claim.
Preserve evidence before anything is repaired or moved. Photograph the vehicles involved, save the police report number, and collect the names of any witnesses listed in the report. Keep all medical bills, receipts, and related documents organized in one place from the start.
Do not give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster without speaking to an attorney first. Insurance adjusters may call within hours of the accident. A recorded statement can be used to shift blame or reduce what you are owed, so it is best to decline until you have legal guidance.
Skilled Attorneys Specializing in Auto Accident Claims in Biloxi, Mississippi
At Maloney-Lyons Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we help families locate Mississippi crash reports, contact the right agencies, and understand what happened after a serious accident. We know how overwhelming this situation can be, and we are here to guide you through every step.
Every case we handle is managed directly by an experienced attorney — David J. Maloney or T. Randall Lyons — not a case manager or junior staff member. We serve clients across Mississippi and the Gulf Coast, with offices in Biloxi and Mobile.
Consultations are always free, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case. Contact Maloney-Lyons Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers today to discuss your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mississippi Crash Reports Available to the Public?
No. Mississippi crash reports are not public records. State law restricts access to involved parties, their next of kin, their attorneys, their insurance carriers, and law enforcement.
How Can I Find Out if a Fatal Crash Happened in Mississippi Today?
The Mississippi Highway Patrol and local news outlets typically announce fatal crashes the same day, but the full report is usually withheld until the investigation is complete.
How Do I Report a Hit and Run in Mississippi?
File a report with the local police or county sheriff in the jurisdiction where the hit and run occurred. The MHP generally handles incidents on state-maintained routes only.
What Information Do I Need to Request a Mississippi Crash Report?
Having the accident date, location, and a driver’s name or report number will speed up your request. Most agencies can locate a report with just the date and approximate location if other details are unavailable.
Can a Hospital Tell Me if Someone Was Admitted After a Mississippi Crash?
Under HIPAA, hospitals may confirm a patient’s admission to immediate family members but generally cannot share details with friends or distant relatives without the patient’s consent.
What Does a Mississippi Highway Patrol Accident Report Cost?
MHP reports cost $15 by mail or in person and $20 through the state’s online DPS portal. Fees for local city and county agencies vary by department.
What Should I Do if My Mississippi Crash Report Contains Errors?
Contact the reporting officer or their supervisor to request a correction. If the error affects fault or your ability to recover compensation, speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
