Services
Document a loss
Support a claim
For carriers and employers
Service areas
Middle Tennessee
- Nashville
- Clarksville
- Murfreesboro
- Franklin
- Hendersonville
- Smyrna
- Spring Hill
- Gallatin
- Lebanon
- Columbia
- Brentwood
- Mount Juliet
- La Vergne
- Cookeville
East Tennessee
West Tennessee
Intersection Accident Documentation in Tennessee
Intersection collisions turn on who had the signal, who entered first and what each driver could see. DCD records signal hardware, lane assignments, sightlines and impact evidence at the junction for attorneys, adjusters, fleet managers and drivers who need neutral documentation.
- Coverage
- 95 of 95 counties
- Dispatch
- 24 / 7 / 365
- Metro response
- Under 60 min avg.
- Statewide
- 4-hour guarantee
What this service covers
An intersection puts vehicles on crossing paths under some form of control: a signal, stop signs on two or four approaches, a flashing beacon, or no control at all. After a collision, each driver typically describes a green light, a full stop or a clear gap. The junction itself holds evidence that bears on those accounts, including the signal equipment, the painted lane assignments, the stop bar locations and the view available from each approach.
A DCD investigator documents every approach, not only the two involved. We photograph signal heads and their arrangement, turn-lane markings, stop bars, posted signs and corner obstructions, and measure the intersection where traffic allows. Debris, fluid and tire marks in the box are recorded relative to fixed points. The documentation is neutral. It does not state which driver had the right of way.
Common reasons an intersection gets documented
- Both drivers say they entered on a green light and no independent witness is named in the crash report.
- A left-turning driver and an oncoming driver disagree about whether the turn was made on a protected arrow or a permissive green.
- A driver at a two-way stop says a hedge, parked truck or utility cabinet hid cross traffic until the vehicle was in the lane.
- Counsel needs the signal head arrangement and lane markings recorded before a scheduled road project changes the intersection.
- A fleet driver was struck while clearing the intersection late in the cycle and the employer needs the approach distances measured.
What is recorded at the junction
- Signal heads and arrangement
- Each signal face photographed from the driver's approach, noting the number of sections, arrow indications, backplates and any head that is turned, dark or obscured.
- Observed signal sequence
- Video of several complete cycles showing the order of phases as they run on the day of the visit, with the time and date recorded.
- Lane assignments and stop bars
- Turn arrows, through lanes, shared lanes and stop bar positions on every approach, measured from the stop bar to the near edge of the cross street.
- Corner sight obstructions
- Vegetation, fences, signs, utility cabinets, walls and parked vehicles at each corner, photographed from the stopped position and from a position edged forward.
- Impact evidence within the box
- Debris concentration, fluid trails, gouges and tire marks inside the intersection, located by measurement to curb lines or lane markings.
- Detection and control equipment
- Visible pedestrian push buttons, overhead or pole-mounted vehicle detection units, pavement loop cuts and the controller cabinet location, noted for anyone requesting agency records.
From request to delivered record
- RequestCall dispatch or submit the request form with the location, loss type and urgency.
- DeployDispatch assigns the nearest available licensed field investigator through the statewide network.
- DocumentPhotographs, video, measurements and factual notes are captured once the scene is safe to work.
- PreserveFiles are timestamped, organized and kept in their original form with a record of who captured them.
- ReportThe package is delivered securely to the requesting party, typically the same day.
Signal timing records and what a field visit can and cannot show
A field investigator can record how a signal operates on the day of the visit: the order of phases, whether a left turn is protected, permissive or both, and what a driver sees from each lane. That observation is useful, but it is not the same as the timing plan in effect at the moment of the collision. Timing plans and any maintenance or malfunction records are held by the city or state agency that operates the signal.
Our report identifies the operating agency where it can be determined and describes the equipment present, so the requesting party can direct a records request to the right office. We note whether any cameras are mounted at the intersection and where they point. Some traffic cameras are used for live monitoring and may not store video, so we do not assume footage exists. Private cameras on corner businesses are canvassed separately and logged in the report.
Sightlines, stop positions and the question of who entered first
At stop-controlled intersections the dispute often concerns visibility. A driver stopped at the bar may not be able to see cross traffic and may have to creep forward. We photograph the view from the stop bar and from successive positions ahead of it, with distances noted, so the reader can see where the cross street first comes into view. Seasonal foliage changes these views, which is one reason early documentation is requested.
Where the dispute is about who entered first, the location of the impact within the box matters. A measured impact area, combined with the distance from each stop bar, shows how far each vehicle had travelled into the intersection. Damage location on each vehicle shows the angle at which they met. DCD records these facts and does not interpret them into a finding of fault. Under Tennessee's modified comparative fault system, that allocation belongs to the carriers, counsel or the court.
On this assignment Delator field personnel record what is physically present: photographs, video, measurements and factual notes. They do not adjust, appraise or value the loss, do not determine coverage, cause or fault, and do not represent any party to the claim.
Delator Claims Division is not a law firm, an insurer or an engineering firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice.
Common questions about this service
Can you get the signal timing or red-light camera records?
We do not hold those records and cannot compel their release. We identify the agency that operates the signal where possible, describe the equipment on site, and note any cameras. The requesting party or their attorney can then pursue the records through the appropriate request process. We can record the sequence as it runs on the day of our visit.
How do you measure an intersection that is open to traffic?
Investigators work from sidewalks, medians and shoulders and take measurements during gaps where it can be done without entering live lanes. At busy junctions some distances are taken from the curb line or by photographic reference. The field notes state how each measurement was obtained.
The collision was weeks ago. What remains at an intersection?
Debris is usually swept and fluid stains fade, but gouges and some tire marks can persist. The permanent features remain: signal arrangement, lane markings, stop bars and sight obstructions. We document those and report what transient evidence, if any, was still visible. Road work or restriping since the collision is noted.
Do you determine which driver ran the light?
No. DCD provides neutral documentation of the intersection and the physical evidence. We do not determine fault or causation and we do not offer legal advice. If a technical analysis is needed, Delator's personnel have accident reconstruction experience and that work can be requested separately.
Available statewide, including
Every Tennessee county is covered. See the deployment map for typical response tiers by county.
Request documentation anywhere in Tennessee
Dispatch is staffed around the clock. For time-sensitive scenes, calling is fastest; the request form works for routine and scheduled assignments.