Last month, a neighbor told me that it had taken her five hours to travel from Renton, Wash., to Olympia, Wash., a distance of 53 miles over freeways. The culprit? Traffic gridlock due to accidents.

The story of her commute was harrowing. It was a compelling reason for law enforcement, motor vehicle departments and others to find more efficient ways for documenting traffic accidents so they can keep the rest of traffic moving.