The police sketch plan and key
The police drew a diagram of your accident and you want to know how it helps your claim.
The police sketch plan is a rough diagram of how a road accident happened, showing the road, the vehicles involved and the likely point of impact. The key is the short legend that explains what each mark on that diagram means. Together they let anyone reviewing your road accident claim read a scene only a few people saw.
What goes into the sketch
Police normally draw the sketch after attending the scene or reviewing your report. It shows the road, junctions or lane markings, and where each vehicle came to rest.[1] Arrows usually show the direction each vehicle was travelling before impact.
The point of collision is marked, often with a simple symbol. It is a working record, not a formal drawing.
What the key is for
The key lists what each numbered item represents, such as a vehicle type, a direction of travel, or a road feature like a divider or junction. With it, an adjuster or a judge who never saw the accident can follow how it is said to have happened.
Why it matters for a claim
The sketch plan sits alongside your police report as an early record of what happened. It matters most when accounts differ, because it was prepared close to the time, not reconstructed from memory.
It can support your version of events, or at least narrow what is disputed.
How to request a copy
Ask the police station or district police headquarters (IPD) handling your case, quoting your report number. It can take time, so ask early, before a settlement offer arrives.
A lawyer acting for you can make this request as part of gathering the documents you need.
When there is no sketch plan
Minor accidents often produce no full sketch. Your claim then rests on the police report, scene photographs and witness statements. A missing sketch does not by itself decide whether your claim succeeds.
What to do once you have it
Check the sketch and key against your own memory soon after you receive them. Raise any real disagreement early, through your lawyer if you have one. Keep it with the rest of your paperwork as part of building your claim file.
If the other side disputes how the crash happened, an independent lawyer can take on the claim and obtain the sketch for you. For first contact, send only the accident date, where it happened, whether anyone was injured (yes/no) and whether a police report has been made.
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Common questions
What exactly is the sketch plan?
It is a rough diagram the police draw of the accident scene, showing the road layout, where each vehicle ended up, and the likely point of impact. It is prepared as part of the police investigation that follows your report, not something you draw yourself.
What does the key add to the sketch?
The key is a short numbered legend explaining what each mark on the sketch stands for, such as vehicle direction, road features or the impact point. Without it, the diagram alone can be hard for anyone outside the investigation to read correctly.
How do I actually get a copy?
You generally request it from the police station or district police headquarters (IPD) handling your report, sometimes through a lawyer acting for you. It can take time to be issued, so ask early rather than waiting until an offer arrives.
Does my claim fail if there is no sketch plan?
No. Many minor accidents never generate a full sketch, and a claim can still stand on the police report, photographs and witness accounts. A sketch simply adds an independent record when one exists.
Sources
- Road Transport Act 1987, s.52 (Ministry of Transport) (accessed 2026-09-22)
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.