Long Beach and the South Bay: collision reports from LBPD, Torrance PD or CHP

Long Beach police: a paper application and a long wait

Download LBPD's “Application For Release of Traffic Collision And/Or Crime Report / Incident Information,” fill it out, and mail or hand-deliver it to Long Beach Police Department, ATTN: Information Management Division, 400 West Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802. The request page describes those two routes only; questions about status go to PD-RequestStatus@longbeach.gov. LBPD: Request a police report

• Fee: as of October 31, 2026, per LBPD, a non-refundable $30 processing fee for each application. An older copy of the page showed $29, so check the current fee with LBPD before sending payment.
• Payment: checks or money orders only by mail. In person, cash, check, money order, or a debit or credit card other than Discover or American Express.
• Identification: a copy of your photo ID with a mailed request.
• Insurers: must include a policy or claim number.
• Timing: incomplete requests are returned, and processing may take up to about six months.

Torrance police: most reports are online

Torrance PD makes most traffic accident reports available online through LexisNexis eCrash/BuyCrash. Allow at least 15 days from the date of the collision; hit-and-run or fatal reports may be delayed or unavailable online. Torrance PD: Traffic collision reports

Offline, send or bring the Request for Release of Police Records form, a copy of valid photo ID and payment to Torrance Police Department, ATTN: Records Division, 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503. As of October 31, 2026, per the City of Torrance, that copy costs $18.00 by check or money order payable to the City of Torrance. The online route adds a “nominal convenience fee” whose amount the city does not give, so check it with Torrance PD.

Release follows Vehicle Code 20012: involved drivers, a parent or guardian, injured parties, vehicle or property owners, authorized representatives, and people who may incur civil liability. The Records Division answers report questions at (310) 618-5529, and the LexisNexis help desk at 1-866-215-2771 helps you find a report online.

CHP South Los Angeles Area, based in Torrance

This CHP office, at 19700 Hamilton Avenue, Torrance, CA 90502, (424) 551-4000, covers the southernmost part of Los Angeles County, the Port of Los Angeles included. It lists Torrance, Carson, Gardena, Redondo Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Compton, Willowbrook and Long Beach among its communities. CHP (530) South Los Angeles Area

Order a CHP copy through the CHP Crash Portal, or deliver or mail form CHP 190 to the nearest Area office. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, owners, a minor's parent or guardian, and insurers holding a valid claim or policy number count as parties of interest. CHP does not publish the price, so check the current fee with the Area office. CHP: Request a crash report

How Long Beach ranked in 2023

The state Office of Traffic Safety ranks each city against others of similar size, and rank 1 is the worst. Among the 15 California cities over 250,000 people in 2023, Long Beach was: OTS 2023 rankings: Long Beach

• 1st for people killed or injured in crashes, with 3,774.
• 2nd for pedestrian victims, with 339.
• 2nd for hit-and-run crashes that killed or injured someone, with 496.

Torrance, measured against 62 cities of 100,001 to 250,000 people, ranked 32nd with 647 people killed or injured. OTS 2023 rankings: Torrance OTS counts crashes inside city limits only, leaves out those CHP reports on shared roads, and calls the ranks only indicators of potential problems.

Finding a towed car in Long Beach

Cars towed in the city are released from the City of Long Beach Towing Operations and Vehicle Storage Facility at 3111 E. Willow Street, between Temple Avenue and Redondo Avenue; the page also has a “Find My Towed Car” lookup. Long Beach Towing and Lien Sales For the status of a stolen, recovered, or towed and impounded vehicle, LBPD Auto Records answers at (562) 570-7475. LBPD Auto Records

One in three Long Beach residents speaks Spanish at home

Census estimates for 2020-2024 (American Community Survey table S1601) show 33.0% of Long Beach residents age 5 and older, 143,070 people, speaking Spanish at home, against 9.8% in Torrance. Census S1601: Long Beach Census S1601: Torrance A towed car, a hit-and-run and a months-long report wait are easier to explain in your own language, and LegalMax takes the call in either one.