SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 537.04
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537.04
COLLISION REPORTING
04-13-17
PURPOSE
The purpose of this order is to establish standards for documenting collisions.
POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department that employees document collisions as directed in
this order.
PROCEDURE
A. DEFINITIONS
1. COLLISION (ACCIDENT) - An unintended event that produces damage or injury involving a vehicle in
transport.
2. COLLISION INVESTIGATION - Narrative format that contains headings for Facts, Statements,
Opinions and Conclusions, and Recommendations, including subheadings as outlined in the California
Highway Patrol (CHP) Collision Investigation Manual.
3. COLLISION REPORT - A shortened narrative format that contains only the Notification, Statements,
Summary, Area of Impact, and Cause headings.
4. HIGHWAY - A way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public
for purposes of vehicular travel. The term "highway" includes streets, shoulders, and sidewalks (360
VC).
5. CHP 555-03 Traffic Collision Report – CHP form used to document collision that involved no more than
two (2) uninjured parties.
6. CHP 555 Traffic Collision Report – CHP form used to document collision investigations or document
collisions that do not meet the criteria for a CHP 555-03.
7. CHP 555 D Truck/Bus/Haz-Mat Collision Supplement Report - CHP form that shall be completed if the
collision meets the minimum reporting level as outlined in this GO and if one or more of the vehicles
meets the qualifying criteria outlined in the CHP Collision Investigation Manual.
B. GENERAL
1. Collision documentation shall be in compliance with the California Highway Patrol Collision
Investigation Manual (CHP HPM 110.5). All policies of the Sacramento Police Department and the City
of Sacramento shall supersede the CHP Collision Investigation Manual in any case in which information
conflicts.
2. Collision documentation shall be completed on CHP traffic collision report forms, including preprinted or
computerized forms that meet CHP requirements. NOTE: Online reports that will not be transmitted to
the CHP may be completed using the Department's Records Management System.
3. Each page of the collision report/investigation report shall contain the same heading information as the
face page of the report. This includes
a. The date and time.
b. Department’s NCIC number (3404).
c. Officer badge number.
d. Report number.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 537.04
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C. MINIMUM REPORTING LEVEL
1. A collision occurring on or off the highway shall be documented as a Collision Investigation when any of
the following conditions apply:
a. Any person is fatally injured as a result of the collision.
b. Any person is severely injured as a result of the collision, including, but not limited to, internal
injuries; broken, dislocated or distorted limbs; severe lacerations; or unconsciousness at (or when
taken from) the scene. Severe injury does not include minor lacerations that require no immediate
medical attention.
c. The collision is a result of an identifiable driving violation that was not committed in the officer’s
presence and documentation is required to support prosecution (citation to be issued per 40600
VC).
d. Any party to the collision is in violation of 20001 or 20002 VC (Hit-and-Run), the vehicle’s license
plate is obtained, and the driver can be identified.
e. A collision resulting from a pursuit. Damage or injury resulting from the application of the Pursuit
Immobilization Technique, including damage or injury to other vehicles, people, or property, is not
reportable as a collision and shall be thoroughly documented in the pursuit offense report.
f. Any party to the collision is arrested for a collision-related violation (e.g. evading, hit-and-run, DUI,
etc.)
g. The collision involves an emergency vehicle.
h. The collision involves a vehicle owned, rented, or leased by the City of Sacramento. This includes
privately-owned vehicles used by City employees while conducting City business.
2. A collision occurring on or off the highway shall be documented as a collision report when any of the
following conditions apply and none of the conditions in C.1. are present. Officers may elect to
complete a collision investigation at their discretion.
a. Any person suffers other visible injuries or complaint of pain as a result of the collision.
(1) Other visible injuries include, but are not limited to, minor lacerations, bruising, black eyes,
bloody noses, abrasions, non-visible, and soft tissue injuries.
(2) Supervisors and officers should be careful to recognize situations in which complaint of pain and
other visible injuries may involve severe nonvisible or internal injury.
b. An involved party is in violation of 20001 VC or 20002 VC and the license plate of the hit and run
vehicle is obtained, but the identification of the driver is unlikely.
c. The officer witnessed the violation that caused the collision and elects to take enforcement action.
When a driver is found to be unlicensed or the license is suspended/revoked. Citations shall be
issued for these violations, in accordance with GO 523.04 Notice to Appear (Citations).
3. No collision documentation is necessary when
a. None of the criteria in C.1. and C.2. are present. Officers may elect to document these collisions at
their discretion.
b. The collision occurs on a freeway, including on-ramps and off-ramps. The CHP has jurisdiction in
these cases.
4. Citizens wishing to document a collision that does not meet the criteria for dispatch may be referred to
the SPD website for an "Online" report or to a public counter for a "Counter Report" (Refer to GO
537.02 Traffic Citizen Reporting Options).
D. COLLISION REPORT FORMS
1. Collisions shall be documented either on the CHP 555, CHP 555-03 or CHP 555 D form. NOTE: One
CHP 555 D form shall be completed for each qualifying vehicle involved and be included on the last
page(s) of the traffic collision report or investigation.
2. Absent the exceptions outlined in this General Order, traffic collision reports should be completed using
either the “long form” or the “short form,” based on the minimum reporting criteria below:
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 537.04
Page 3 of 6
Investigation (Long Narrative)
Report (Short Narrative)
CHP 555 Regular Form
▪ Fatal or severe injury.
▪ Citation for driving violation not
committed in officer’s presence.
▪ Hit and run when plate and
driver can be identified.
▪ Collision as a result of a pursuit.
▪ Party arrested for collision-
related violation (DUI, Evading,
H&R, etc.).
▪ Emergency vehicle involved. City
vehicle involved.
▪ Visible or compliant of pain
injury.
▪ Hit and run with plate but driver
can’t be identified.
▪ Citation for driving violation
witnessed by officer. Citation for
license violations not witnessed
by officer.
CHP 555-03 (PDO Form)
None of the above
Any of the above except No Injury
or two (2) parties maximum
E. SKETCHES & FACTUAL DIAGRAMS
1. Sketches should be completed for all Collision Investigations and Reports in which the officer can
accurately depict the movement of the parties up to impact.
2. Factual diagrams shall only be included with a collision Investigation and may be completed at the
officer's discretion.
3. Sketches and factual diagrams need not be to scale but shall be proportional and professional in
appearance. Sketch and Factual Diagram symbols shall be used as outlined in the CHP Collision
Investigation Manual.
F. JURISDICTIONAL UNCERTAINTY
1. If the jurisdiction of a collision is unknown or in dispute and the collision meets the minimum reporting
level, the collision shall be documented by officers from this Department.
2. Collisions known or later found to be outside the Department's jurisdiction shall be labeled "Courtesy
Report" in the Special Conditions box. The name of the responsible agency should be included in the
Special Conditions box.
3. When a courtesy report is taken, officers shall complete the report but shall omit the NCIC and Officer
ID numbers from all pages of the report.
4. The Records Division shall send a copy to the agency having jurisdiction. No copy shall be sent to the
CHP Information Management Division or City Traffic Engineering.
G. CITY VEHICLE COLLISION INVESTIGATION
1. Department personnel involved in a collision while on duty shall notify Dispatch. Upon notice, Dispatch
shall generate a call for service and make the proper e-mail notifications.
2. CSI shall be requested to take photographs of all collisions involving a City vehicle. If CSI is
unavailable, photographs shall be taken by the District Sergeant.
3. Collisions between a City vehicle and a privately-owned vehicle or on private property that do not meet
the definition of a collision shall be documented in a traffic collision I-report.
4. When available, units assigned to the Traffic Section shall have primary responsibility for investigating
reportable City vehicle collisions and shall complete the entire investigation.
5. If Traffic Investigators are unavailable, officers assigned to patrol may investigate City vehicle collisions.
a. Officers shall complete a traffic collision investigation report, excluding the Primary Collision
Factor, Associated Collision Factor, and Opinions and Conclusions. Area of Impact shall be
included if it can be determined.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 537.04
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b. Officers formerly assigned to the Traffic Section or who have completed a class in Intermediate
Traffic Accident Investigation may complete the entire investigation.
c. When an arrest is made as the result of a collision (e.g., DUI, evading, etc.), officers shall complete
the entire investigation due to criminal filing timelines.
6. Sworn peace officers entered as parties to a collision shall be identified at a minimum by first and last
name, driver license number, business address, and business phone number.
H. CITY VEHICLE COLLISION REPORT
1. All City vehicle collisions investigations shall be routed to the Major Collision Investigation Unit (MCIU)
for review and or completion prior to being routed the Records Division.
2. Upon conclusion of the report, if it is determined that Department Personnel have committed a violation
of the law, the completed report shall
a. Be reviewed by the Traffic Lieutenant and employee’s Division Commander.
b. Include either a DA cover sheet for felony convictions or a citation signed by the Traffic Section
Commander for Misdemeanors/Infractions.
c. Be hand delivered and presented to the appropriate Deputy District Attorney.
3. Upon conclusion of the report, if it is determined that City Personnel have committed a violation of the
law, the completed report shall be approved by the officer’s supervisor.
4. Officers shall obtain supervisory approval prior to generating a citation to accompany a traffic collision
report involving City personnel.
5. Officers shall not issue citations to any City employee at the scene of the collision.
I. SACRAMENTO DRIVER’S REPORT OF ACCIDENT “BLUE BORDER”
1. Department personnel involved in a collision while driving a SPD vehicle shall ensure that a City of
Sacramento Driver’s Report of Accident (Blue Border) form is completed by the end of watch. The
Professional Standards Unit shall submit the Blue Border form to the City of Sacramento Risk
Management Office within ten (10) days of the date the collision occurred.
2. If a collision report was taken, employees shall complete the first section of the form (first 5 lines) and
include a brief description of the collision on the back of the form. The description should be brief (e.g.
city vehicle backed into a tree, city vehicle was rear ended, etc.) and not contain any opinions
observations, or determinations of who was at fault.
3. Collisions involving two Departmental vehicles or City owned property may be documented solely on a
Blue Border if
a. Injury does not occur.
b. Privately owned vehicles are not involved.
c. Code -3 driving is not involved.
d. The Department vehicle sustains moderate or less damage (as defined in the CHP Collision
Manual).
4. If a collision report was NOT taken, the Blue Border form shall be completely filled out and include a
sketch and detailed description of how the collision occurred.
5. Supervisors may direct the officer to complete a collision investigation when the collision cannot be
adequately documented on the Blue Border form.
J. COLLISIONS INVOLVING TRAINS OR LIGHT RAIL
1. Collisions involving either a train or bicyclist on a highway or a train and motor vehicle (on or off a
highway) are considered vehicle collisions and shall be documented pursuant to the minimum reporting
level in section C.
2. All other incidents involving trains (e.g. derailment, struck pedestrian, etc.) shall be documented in a
General Offense Traffic Information Report.
3. Officers shall not issue a traffic citation or request a driver’s license of the train operator or any of their
crew members when a train has been involved in a collision/violation.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 537.04
Page 5 of 6
K. SCHOOL BUS COLLISIONS
1. A school bus includes any of the following vehicles when transporting any K-12 school pupil to or from
a public or private school or to or from a school-related activity.
a. School bus (as defined in 545 VC).
b. School pupil activity bus (as defined in 546 VC).
c. Youth bus (as defined in 680 VC).
d. Public transit bus or para-transit vehicle (as defined in 336 VC).
2. School buses do not include public transit vehicles that transport pupils along with members of the
general public.
3. School bus collisions occurring within the City limits are the responsibility of the CHP and include
a. A collision between a vehicle and a pupil and/or school bus driver crossing the street when the
school bus's flashing red lights are required to be on, pursuant to 22112 VC.
b. An injury to a school bus passenger as a result of acceleration, deceleration, or other movement of
the bus.
4. Collisions involving any of the above described vehicles with no pupils aboard shall be handled by the
Sacramento Police Department based on the minimum reporting level in section C.
L. BICYCLE COLLISIONS
1. A bicycle is a device upon which any person may ride, propelled exclusively by human power through a
belt, chain, or gears and having one or more wheels (231 VC).
2. 21200 VC requires bicycle riders to obey the same rules of the road (Division 11) as the driver of a
vehicle, except when the nature of the rule could not apply to a bicycle.
3. Collisions involving bicycles are reportable if they occur on a highway and meet the minimum reporting
requirements in section C.
M. ENFORCING THE VEHICLE CODE
1. All enforcement actions shall be substantiated by the facts and/or statements provided. The elements
of the violation and identification of the responsible person shall be clearly addressed in the report.
2. All citations issued in connection with a collision shall be submitted with the report.
3. Officers taking enforcement action for infractions (including license violations) not committed in their
presence shall
a. Complete a citation.
(1) CSOs shall complete the citation and forward it to their supervisor for final review and
signature (NOTE: CSOs shall print their name in the second officer signature box to assist
the court in the subpoena process).
(2) The supervisor who reviews the CSO's report shall sign any citation(s) that accompany the
collision report.
(3) The CSO shall enter the electronically completed citation and forward the hard copy of the
citation pursuant to GO 523.04 Notice to Appear.
b. Write “Collision” or “Accident” in the violator’s signature box.
c. Use the Sacramento Traffic Court calendar to set the court date. The court date should be
assigned based on the date the report was approved by a supervisor. NOTE: Approving
supervisors shall ensure that the court date is set based on the review date.
d. Not provide a copy of the citation to the violator.
4. Officers taking enforcement action for infractions (including license violations) committed in their
presence may issue a citation to the violator at the scene using the normal citation procedure.
5. When a misdemeanor hit-and-run suspect has been positively identified, three enforcement options are
available
a. Cite and release using the normal citation procedure. Set the court date using the Sacramento
County Traffic Court calendar.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 537.04
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b. Prepare a citation and set the court date as instructed above. Write "COLLISION" or “ACCIDENT”
in the violator's signature box. Do not provide a copy of the citation to the violator.
c. Book the violator according to Department policy.
6. When a felony hit-and-run suspect has been positively identified, two enforcement options are
available.
a. Book the violator according to Department policy. This shall be the preferred method unless the
person cannot be cleared for incarceration within a reasonable time.
b. Submit report with “Reco” in the Special Conditions box. The MCIU will prepare a felony warrant
request.
N. SPECIAL CONDITIONS
1. RECO – Additional follow up is needed to determine the cause of the collision or which party is
responsible, a felony warrant request is being sought, or monitoring of a seriously injured person is
requested.
2. CIT #_______ - A citation has been issued. Include the citation number.
3. CITY EQUIP #_______ - A City owned vehicle was involved. Include the vehicle number.
4. ON DUTY EMER VEH - An on-duty peace officer or firefighter was involved in the collision while
operating a government-owned vehicle. Also, place "On Duty Emer. Veh." over the driver's name.
5. DUI - The collision involved a DUI driver.
6. BOOKED - A subject was booked as a result of the collision.
7. PP - The collision occurred on private property.
8. LATE RPT - The collision was a late report (defined in the CHP Collision Investigation Manual).
9. CITY PROP - Property owned by the City of Sacramento (excluding vehicles) was damaged.
10. GOVT - A government owned vehicle (excluding City vehicles) was involved in the collision.
11. PUB UTIL - Public utility property or vehicles were damaged in the collision (e.g., PG&E, etc.).
12. 550- It is suspected that the collision was staged. Do not write "Staged Collision" anywhere in the
report.
13. COURTESY RPT - The collision occurred outside the City limits (indicate the responsible agency).
14. FATAL - A death resulted from the collision or within 30 days of the collision.
15. PRELIM - The investigation will take longer than 15 working days.
16. HAZMAT - A vehicle displaying a hazardous materials placard was involved in the collision.
