Do You Have to Report an Accident With a Cyclist in Denver? What Drivers and Riders Need to Know

This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation.

The Short Answer

Yes, when anyone is hurt or any property is damaged. Colorado law says the driver of a vehicle involved in a traffic accident “resulting in injury to, serious bodily injury to, or death of any person or any property damage” must give immediate notice of the crash to the nearest police authority office (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(1)).

Check for either one before deciding a crash doesn’t need a report:

• Property damage, such as a bent wheel, a cracked helmet, or a scratched bumper
• Injury, which for these rules includes physical pain, such as a sore wrist or a headache

Denver police put it plainly on their traffic page. If you’re in a crash “with another vehicle, pedestrian, building, or bicyclist,” they say that “in all cases, except when an Accident Alert has been declared, you must stop and report the crash by calling your local police station or 911” (Denver Police Department).

A Bicycle Counts as a Vehicle in Colorado

Colorado’s traffic code defines a “vehicle” to include a bicycle and a “driver” as a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle (C.R.S. 42-1-102(27), (112)).

A person riding a bicycle “has all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle” under Colorado’s traffic rules, except for special rules and “those provisions that by their nature can have no application” (C.R.S. 42-4-1412(1)).

What that means for you:

• If you were driving, the stop, help and report rules below apply to you.
• If you were riding, the same duties generally apply to you too, apart from rules that by their nature can’t apply to a bike.
• If you’re not sure how a rule applies to your situation, a lawyer can walk through it with you.

For a closer look at how fault is decided, see our article on who is at fault if you hit a cyclist in Denver.

What to Do at the Scene, Step by Step

Here’s what Colorado law asks of each driver involved, in order.

1. Stop right away. If anyone is injured, the driver must immediately stop at or as close to the scene as possible and stay until the information and aid duties are met (C.R.S. 42-4-1601(1)). If the crash only damages a vehicle that someone is driving or attending, the driver must also stop (C.R.S. 42-4-1602(1)).
2. Check on the rider or driver and help. Where practical, the law requires “reasonable assistance” to anyone injured, including arranging a trip to a doctor or hospital if treatment is clearly needed or the person asks (C.R.S. 42-4-1603(1)). If someone is badly hurt, call 911.
3. Share your information. Give your name, your address, and the vehicle’s registration number, and show your driver’s license if asked (C.R.S. 42-4-1603(1)).
4. If you were driving a car, have proof of insurance ready. When an accident occurs, the owner or operator of a motor vehicle must show a peace officer immediate evidence of insurance when asked (C.R.S. 42-4-1409(3)(a)).
5. Report the crash to police. Give the location and the required information to the nearest police authority right away (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(1)).
6. Stay if police ask you to. If directed, the driver must return to or stay at the scene until officers arrive and finish their investigation (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(1)).

If the person who was hit isn’t able to take your information and no officer is there, the law says to report the crash to police right away and give them that information instead (C.R.S. 42-4-1603(2)).

When Colorado Law Requires a Report

Your duty to notify police and an officer’s duty to investigate and write a report are separate rules:

Situation	What Colorado law says
Someone is hurt, seriously hurt, or killed.	The driver must stop, help, share information, and give immediate notice to police (C.R.S. 42-4-1601, 42-4-1603, 42-4-1606(1))
No one is hurt, but there’s property damage.	The driver must still give immediate notice to police (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(1))
A motor vehicle is involved, no one is hurt, and damage to any one person’s property appears to be $1,000 or less	An officer isn’t required to investigate or file a report, but must do so if a participant asks or someone can’t show proof of insurance (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(4)(b)(I))
No motor vehicle is involved, such as a bike and a pedestrian.	An officer isn’t required to investigate or file a report unless someone is seriously hurt or killed (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(4)(b)(II))

Even when an officer doesn’t write a full report, you may still have to notify police. In a crash involving a car, any participant can ask the officer to investigate and file a report (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(4)(b)(I)).

How to Report a Crash in Denver

Denver police provide these instructions on their traffic page (Denver Police Department):

• Call 911 or your local police station. Except during an accident alert, Denver police say you must stop and report the crash this way.
• Exchange information with the other people involved. Denver police note that Colorado law requires all drivers to give their name, address, and vehicle registration and to show a driver’s license to anyone who asks.
• During an Accident Alert, call 911 and wait. A dispatcher decides whether an officer will come.
• If no officer comes, drivers must exchange name, license, registration, and insurance information and report the crash as soon as possible.
• What an Accident Alert is. Denver declares one when conditions such as severe weather make it impossible for officers to respond to every crash.
• Know what the online form does. Denver’s page links to an online crash report form and says those reports are “for Colorado Department of Revenue records only” and won’t be investigated, and that Denver police can’t give you a copy of a report submitted that way.

For non-emergencies, the Denver Police Department’s non-emergency line is (720) 913-2000. If there’s any doubt about injuries, call 911.

Getting a copy of a Denver police accident report

Denver police say to order a crash report through their Records page. To get a case number for your crash report, you can call the Denver Police Records Section at (720) 913-6029 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excluded (Denver Police Department). A Denver police report on the accident can be useful if you make an insurance claim.

What Happens If You Leave or Don’t Report

Colorado treats leaving the scene of a crash seriously, and the penalty depends on how badly someone was hurt.

What happened	Possible penalty under Colorado law
Leaving the scene when someone was injured	Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. 42-4-1601(2)(a))
Leaving the scene when someone suffered serious bodily injury	Class 4 felony (C.R.S. 42-4-1601(2)(b))
Leaving the scene when someone died	Class 3 felony (C.R.S. 42-4-1601(2)(c))
Leaving the scene when only an attended vehicle was damaged	Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. 42-4-1602(1))
Not reporting a crash as required	Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. 42-4-1606(6))

A driver convicted of leaving the scene of an injury crash also faces license revocation (C.R.S. 42-4-1601(3)). The law does allow a driver who has met the stop, information and aid duties to leave the scene to report the crash (C.R.S. 42-4-1601(1.5)).

For more, see our article on leaving the scene of an accident in Colorado.

Why a Report Matters If You Were Hurt

If you were the one on the bike, a police report can record who was involved, where it happened, and the insurance information that was shared. That can make it easier to bring a claim later.

Fault can matter too. In a Colorado negligence case, your damages can be reduced by your share of fault, and you can’t recover if your share is equal to or greater than the other side’s (C.R.S. 13-21-111).

Deadlines also keep running. Colorado generally allows three years for bodily injury claims arising from the use or operation of a motor vehicle and generally two years for other tort claims (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n), 13-80-102(1)(a)). Have a lawyer confirm your deadline.

Things to keep after a crash with a car:

• The police report number and the officer’s name
• Photos of the scene, your bike, your helmet, and your injuries
• The driver’s name, contact information, and insurance details
• Names and phone numbers of any witnesses
• Your medical records and bills, and notes on work you’ve missed

Our guide on what to do after a bicycle accident in Colorado covers the next steps in more detail.

How We Help Injured Riders in Denver

When you reach out, we start with what happened, the report, and your medical care. We look at who may be responsible, which insurance applies, and which deadlines matter, and then explain in plain words where you stand.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). CGH Injury Lawyers, formerly Cheney Galluzzi & Howard, was founded in Denver in 2016 and prepares each case as if it will be tried. If Spanish is your first language, you can reach us at (303) 835-9177.

Talk to a Denver Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you were hurt in a crash with a car, a lawyer specializing in bicycle accidents in Denver can look at the report, the insurance, and your deadline with you. Call (303) 209-9395 or use our contact page for the Denver office to tell us what happened. You can also learn more about working with a Denver bicycle accident lawyer on our practice page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Written by CGH Injury Lawyers.

Last reviewed: September 21, 2026.

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