A new proposal moving through Trenton could bring major changes to how New Jersey car accident reports are shared with the public — and how victims' personal data is protected after a crash. Under Assembly Bill A5575, introduced by Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, agencies would be required to redact private information such as names, addresses, driver's license numbers, and insurance policy details before releasing any report under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).

This legislation responds to growing concerns about how crash data is often mined by marketing firms, repair shops, or lead-generation companies that contact victims within days of an accident. The goal is to shield victims from unwanted solicitation, identity theft, and misuse of sensitive information, while still allowing essential access for attorneys, insurers, and law enforcement.

For drivers injured in a crash, the bill raises important questions: Who will still have access to your police report? How will it affect your insurance claim or injury case? And what steps can you take to protect your rights if your information has already been shared?

Our New Jersey car accident attorney are following this legislation closely to help clients understand how it may affect their access to records, privacy rights, and compensation options.

What Bill A5575 Would Do

Under the proposal, public copies of police accident reports would exclude:

• Personal identifiers (names, addresses, phone numbers, license numbers)

• Vehicle registration and insurance policy numbers

Only authorized individuals could obtain an unredacted version, including:

• The people involved in the crash

• Their attorneys or insurance carriers

• Law-enforcement agencies acting within official duties

The bill also addspenalties for misuse:

• $1,000 for a first offense

• $2,500 for a second

• $5,000 for any subsequent violation

Records custodians would need to log every unredacted report released, noting the requester, date, and reason for access—creating a clear audit trail for the Attorney General or Government Records Council.

Why It Matters for Accident Victims

Today, once a crash report is filed, the document becomes public and is often mined for marketing lists by repair shops, law firms, and data companies. Victims can start receivingcalls, texts, or letters within days of an accident, often before they've even spoken with their insurer.

By redacting sensitive data, Bill A5575 aims to reduce identity-theft risks and stop unwanted solicitations. However, it also means injury victims may havea harder time retrieving their own reports or confirming insurance details without legal help.

If passed, attorneys representing injured clients will play a larger role inrequesting and managing unredacted reports, ensuring proper documentation for insurance or litigation purposes.

Legal Context in New Jersey

New Jersey's OPRA law (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.) currently treats police accident reports as public records with limited privacy exceptions. A5575 would formally expand those exceptions.
This move follows broader national trends emphasizingdata privacy and protection of personally identifiable information (PII)—especially as accident data increasingly circulates online.

Courts and agencies may soon requirewritten consent from all parties (or next of kin, if a driver is deceased or incapacitated) before any personal details can be shared outside authorized legal or insurance channels.

How Khorozian Law Group Helps Clients Navigate Changing Rules

At Khorozian Law Group, L.L.C., we closely monitor legislative updates that impact personal-injury and accident-report access i accident-report access i accident-report access in New Jersey. Whether you need help obtaining your police report, filing a PIP claim, or challenging a denial, our team ensures your information remains confidential while protecting your right to compensation.

We're committed to bothclient privacy and transparency in claims handling — ensuring victims can recover safely without their data being exploited.
📞(201) 944-9200 or use our Online form today. Hablamos español.

FAQs

❓ How will this bill affect access to my accident report?
If enacted, only you, your lawyer, your insurer, and law enforcement could access theunredacted version. Public copies will omit personal identifiers.

❓ Can my Clifton or Bergen County car accident lawyer near me still obtain my report?
Yes. Authorized attorneys can request full crash reports directly from the police department under the new law.

❓ What happens if someone shares my private crash data illegally?
Anyone who knowingly releases protected data to the public could facecivil penalties up to $5,000 per offense under Bill A5575.

📞 If you or a loved one have questions about your New Jersey accident report or ongoing injury claim, call (201) 944-9200 or use our Online form today. Hablamos español.