The Arkansas Accident Report People Miss: The SR-1 Within 30 Days

Quick answer: Arkansas requires a Safety Responsibility SR-1 accident report within 30 days when damage to the property of any one person is over $1,000, or when anyone is injured or killed, regardless of who is at fault. The form comes from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). If you were hurt in a wreck in Cabot, put this on your list alongside getting checked and calling your insurer.

What is the SR-1?

The SR-1 is the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Accident Report, handled by the Safety Responsibility section at DFA. The form states the deadline in a box at the top: “This report must be filed within thirty (30) days of accident.” DFA’s page lists it under Forms as the Vehicle Accident Report SR 1-21. The bottom section of the form is a verification of liability insurance, the SR-21.

We bring it up because it is easy to miss. After a wreck, most of your attention goes to your car, your insurer and how you feel. A state form with a deadline is the kind of thing that slips by.

When is an SR-1 required?

Here is what DFA’s page says, situation by situation:

Situation	What DFA’s page says
Damage to the property of any one person is over $1,000	SR-1 due within 30 days
Anyone is injured	SR-1 due within 30 days, regardless of fault
Anyone is killed	SR-1 due within 30 days, regardless of fault
You didn’t get a ticket	The rule turns on damage and injury, and DFA warns a judgment can still be possible
Damage is $1,000 or less and nobody is hurt	Outside the thresholds on the page, so ask DFA if you are unsure

Does it matter who caused the wreck?

No. DFA’s wording is “regardless of who is at fault.” If you were rear-ended at a light and someone was injured, the rule still reads the same way. Don’t assume the other driver’s paperwork covers yours.

Does a sore neck count as an injury?

DFA’s page says “the injury or death of any person” and sets no minimum, and the form says “bodily injury.” It doesn’t define how serious an injury has to be, so if you are unsure, ask DFA directly.

Watch the timing. MedlinePlus notes that concussion symptoms may not start right away and may start days or weeks after the injury, and that they can include a headache or neck pain. The form counts its 30 days from the accident. So if you start hurting a week later, you may still have time, but the clock has been running. Read more about whiplash and neck pain after a crash.

Does a police report take the place of an SR-1?

Neither DFA’s page nor the form says that it does. If police came to the scene, don’t assume the report is handled. Ask DFA’s Safety Responsibility section, and write down who you spoke with and what they said.

What does the form ask for?

It is one page, and most of it is details you will want on hand anyway:

• Your details: name, driver’s license number and state, and address
• The vehicle: owner’s name and address, make, year, license plate number and state
• The accident: city or town, street or highway, time and date
• The cost: what it costs to repair your vehicle or property, and the other vehicle
• What happened: a short description, with extra pages if you need them
• Who was hurt: names of people injured or killed in your vehicle
• The other driver: the same driver and vehicle details
• Your signature and date, stating the report is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief

The insurance section asks for the insurance company, agent and policy number, and has a line for an authorized representative’s signature. A repair estimate makes the cost lines easier to answer than guessing.

What happens after an accident report?

DFA’s page lists several ways to show financial responsibility after an accident. They include proof of liability insurance, a deposit of security, a written release of liability signed by the other party, a written agreement to pay damages in installments, and proof that the other party or their insurer has reimbursed you for your property damage.

Two details are easy to get wrong. A trial in traffic court is not an adjudication of non-liability. And if you get a notice of security requirement or suspension, a written request for a hearing must be received within 20 days of when you got the notice. Read any letter from DFA the day it arrives, and if you are unsure what it means, ask an attorney.

Where does medical care fit in?

The SR-1 is a state accident report, not a medical record. It lists who was hurt, but it doesn’t describe your injuries, your exam or your care. That record comes from whoever evaluates you.

So you may need both. File the report if it applies to you, and get checked so your injuries are on record. Dr. Luke is a Certified Personal Injury Examiner, and the office provides documentation for auto insurance or personal injury claims. See how car wreck and whiplash care works here, how to find out who pays first and what “rejected in writing” means, and when to get back pain checked after a wreck.

Why see Dr. Luke after a wreck in Cabot?

The office offers same-day appointments and a same-day new patient consultation with no obligation. The SR-1 is yours to file, and DFA can tell you whether it applies to your wreck. Our part is evaluating your injuries and keeping good records of them.

Read what patients say in their reviews, get hours and directions for the Cabot office, or call or text (501) 605-6660. You can also contact the office.