Can I Get a Copy of My Child’s School Bus Accident Report?

Quick Answer

Ask the school or transportation provider what report or record was created and how a parent can request it.

Do not assume there is only one “school bus accident report.” The school, bus company, police, emergency responders, or another agency may have different records. A school incident record is not the same thing as a police vehicle crash report, and access procedures may differ.

Key Takeaways

• First identify which organization created the record you want.
• Ask separately about school, transportation-company, and police records.
• Request the record in writing and keep a copy of your request.
• Ask for the report or incident number even if a copy is not immediately available.
• A police crash report and a school’s internal incident record are different documents.

Which School Bus Accident Report Are You Requesting?

Parents often ask for “the accident report,” but several different records may exist after a school bus incident.

The school may have an internal incident or student-safety record. A transportation contractor may have its own driver or company report. Police may prepare a vehicle crash report if an agency investigated the collision. Emergency medical services may create patient-care records if treatment was provided.

Ask the school or transportation contact to identify the records that were created and which organization maintains each one.

How to Request School Bus Accident Records.

Your request should include your child’s name, the accident date, approximate time and location, school, and bus number if known.

Ask for:

• the name of the record or report;
• the incident or report number;
• the office or company that maintains it;
• the procedure for requesting a copy;
• whether video, photographs, witness information, or related communications were preserved.

If the school cannot provide a particular record, ask where the request should be directed. Keep the response and any instructions you receive.

Do not assume that every internal record must be released immediately or in full. Student privacy, agency rules, and the type of record can affect what a parent receives.

A Police Crash Report Is Different

If police investigated a vehicle collision, the police report is obtained from the law-enforcement agency that prepared it—not from the school simply because a school bus was involved.

For example, Pennsylvania State Police has its own procedure for eligible people to request vehicle crash reports. A city or local police department may use a different procedure.

That police record should be treated separately from school or transportation-company records.

What to Do Next

1. Ask which reports or records were created.
2. Identify who maintains each record.
3. Send a written request and save a copy.
4. Record any incident or report numbers you receive.
5. Preserve related emails, texts, photographs, medical records, and other information while the request is pending.

Speak Directly With The Oakes Firm

If your child was injured and you are having difficulty identifying or obtaining records after a school bus accident, The Oakes Firm can help you understand which records may matter and what additional evidence may need to be preserved.

Learn more about The Oakes Firm’s Philadelphia personal injury representation.

(215) 883-4412

Free consultation. No fee unless there is a recovery.

Related PhillyLegalConnect Quick Answers

• My Child Was in a School Bus Accident. What Should I Do Next?
• Back-to-School Accidents in Philadelphia: What Parents Should Know.
• The School Did Not Tell Me About My Child’s School Bus Accident Right Away. What Should I Do?

Related PhillyLegalConnect Resources

• Philadelphia Injury Playbook
• Philadelphia Neighborhood Safety