Many Maryland drivers assume that the information in an accident report is ironclad — but that’s simply not the case. According to Joe Bowers of Bowers Law, police accident reports are not considered legal evidence in most cases. Unless the officer personally witnessed the crash (which is rare), the report is based on secondhand information and subject to human error. This makes it crucial to review your accident report carefully for mistakes — and to know that errors can be overcome.

Mistakes on accident reports are more common than you might think. These range from swapped driver/passenger roles, incorrect vehicle assignments, misspelled names, or inaccurate time stamps. Bowers shares a case where a witness mistakenly assumed the person standing near the driver’s door post-crash was the driver — when in fact they were a passenger. The error led to a denied claim and months of litigation. Bottom line: the facts matter more than the report, and insurers will often use report errors to delay or deny your claim.

In rare cases — maybe once or twice a year — Bowers’ team has been able to get reports corrected. This typically only happens when the error is significant, like incorrect party roles. Minor mistakes (e.g., wrong date, typo in the vehicle number) usually won’t be corrected by police departments. Still, those errors aren’t deal-breakers for your case. The key is understanding that the accident report is just one part of a larger legal and claims process.

Insurance companies are incentivized to pay as little as possible. If there’s an inconsistency in the report that benefits them, they will exploit it — even when logic and injury patterns suggest otherwise. They’ll use it to delay, deny, or diminish your claim. That’s why having an attorney on your side from the very beginning is critical. Your legal team can push back with facts, evidence, and witness credibility — not just what’s written on paper.

The best move you can make after an accident is to contact Bowers Law immediately. They’ll request the police report for you, review it line-by-line, and help correct or contextualize any inaccuracies. And if something can’t be changed, they’ll make sure the error doesn’t jeopardize your case. Most cases don’t even go to trial — but if yours does, it’ll be the facts, not the accident report, that are on trial.

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