In the minutes after a crash, it is hard to think clearly. Your heart is racing, you may be hurt, and you might not know whether you are even required to call the police. Getting the police report right matters, because it often becomes one of the most important pieces of evidence in a car accident claim.
This guide explains when Texas law requires you to report a crash, how an officer's report is filed, what to do if police do not come to the scene, and how to get a copy of your report from TxDOT. It is general information, not legal advice, and the right steps for you depend on the details of your crash.
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Chapter 550 of the Texas Transportation Code sets out a driver's duties after a collision. The specific duties depend on whether anyone was hurt and how badly the vehicles were damaged.
If a crash results in, or is reasonably likely to result in, injury or death, every driver involved must stop at the scene or as close as safely possible, check whether anyone needs help, and remain there until meeting their legal duties (Section 550.021). Drivers in crashes that only damage vehicles must also stop and remain at the scene (Section 550.022).
Leaving the scene of a crash that causes injury or death is a felony in Texas. Leaving the scene of a damage-only crash is a misdemeanor.
Under Section 550.023, a driver involved in a crash that injures someone or damages an attended vehicle must provide:
• Name and address
• Vehicle registration number
• The name of the driver's auto liability insurance company
• A driver's license, if someone asks to see it and it is available
Drivers must also give reasonable assistance to anyone who is injured, including arranging transportation to a doctor or hospital when treatment appears necessary or the injured person asks for it. If you hit an unattended vehicle, you must find the owner or leave a written note with your name, address, and an explanation of what happened (Section 550.024).
If a crash happens on a freeway in a metropolitan area and every vehicle can be driven normally and safely, Texas law requires drivers to move out of the main lanes as soon as possible, such as to a shoulder, frontage road, or nearby cross street, before exchanging information. A vehicle that needs a tow or cannot be driven without causing more damage does not meet this standard.
Under Section 550.026, you must immediately notify law enforcement by the quickest means available if a crash:
• Injures or kills someone, or
• Damages a vehicle so badly that it cannot be driven normally and safely.
Inside a city, the notice goes to the local police department. Outside city limits, it goes to the county sheriff's office or the nearest Texas Department of Public Safety office. In practice, calling 911 is the fastest way to meet this duty when someone is hurt or a vehicle is disabled.
For a minor fender bender with no injuries and drivable cars, a call may not be legally required. Even so, it is often smart to call the non-emergency line and ask for an officer. Injuries such as whiplash may not appear for hours or days, and a police report made at the scene is much harder for an insurance company to dispute later.
In most Texas crashes, you do not file the official report yourself. The investigating officer does.
Section 550.062 requires an officer who investigates a crash to complete a written report when the crash caused injury or death, or caused at least $1,000 in apparent damage to any one person's property. The officer must submit that report electronically to TxDOT no later than the 10th day after the crash. This official report is called the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report, or Form CR-3.
The CR-3 typically records the date, time, and location of the crash, the drivers and vehicles involved, insurance information, a diagram, the officer's narrative, contributing factors, and any citations. While you are at the scene, you can help make it accurate:
1. Stay calm and stick to the facts. Do not guess, and do not apologize or admit fault.
2. Tell the officer about any pain or symptoms, even if they seem minor.
3. Point out witnesses and ask the officer to note their contact details.
4. Ask for the officer's name, agency, and the case or report number before you leave.
5. Take your own photos of the vehicles, the scene, road conditions, and any injuries.
Many Texans have heard of the "blue form," the Driver's Crash Report or Form CR-2. Drivers once had to submit their own written report for certain crashes that police did not investigate. Texas repealed that requirement (former Section 550.061) effective September 1, 2017, and TxDOT stopped retaining CR-2 forms as of January 1, 2019.
Today, TxDOT does not accept or keep CR-2 forms, and any CR-2 sent to TxDOT will be destroyed. Some local agencies still hand out the form so drivers can record details of a minor crash that no officer investigated. If you receive one, fill it out and keep it with your own records. It can help you remember details when you report the crash to your insurer.
In busy cities like Houston and Dallas, officers sometimes do not respond to minor crashes without injuries. If that happens, you can still protect yourself:
• Ask dispatch whether you can file a report at the station or online. Many Texas police departments and sheriff's offices offer this option.
• Exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver and photograph their license and insurance card.
• Record your own notes, or complete a CR-2 for your personal records.
• Notify your insurance company promptly.
• See a doctor as soon as possible if you feel any pain.
If the other driver was acting aggressively, keep your distance and call 911 instead of confronting them. Our article on road rage crashes explains why these situations can escalate quickly.
Once the officer submits the CR-3, you can buy a copy from TxDOT through the Crash Report Online Purchase System, part of the Crash Records Information System (CRIS). According to TxDOT's crash reports page, a regular copy costs $6 and a certified copy costs $8, plus online processing fees. Certified copies are often used for legal proceedings.
To search for your report, you can use the name of a person involved along with details such as the county and crash date, a driver's license number, the vehicle VIN, or the TxDOT crash ID. TxDOT notes it can take up to 14 days after the crash for a report to appear in the system. Under Section 550.065, full reports are released only to people with a direct interest, such as the drivers, vehicle owners, insurers, and their authorized representatives, including attorneys. Others may receive a redacted copy. You can also ask the investigating agency about obtaining its report or related records.
Insurance adjusters often rely heavily on the crash report when deciding who was at fault. Texas uses a modified comparative fault rule: you can recover damages if you are not more than 50 percent responsible, but your recovery is reduced by your share of fault. An officer's notes on contributing factors, citations, and witness statements can shape that fault decision. If the report contains errors, it is important to address them early. You also generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas (Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003).
After a crash, our attorneys can obtain your report, review it for mistakes, and gather the evidence needed to show what really happened. The Daspit Law Firm has more than 50 attorneys and over 15 offices, including locations in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, and we have recovered over $500 million for our clients. If you were hurt in a truck accident, the stakes are often higher still, and we are ready to take on large trucking companies and their insurers.
Free consultations are available 24/7, we can meet you at home or in the hospital, and we work on a contingency fee, so you pay no legal fees unless we win.
If you have questions about your crash report or your injury claim, call The Daspit Law Firm today at (888) 273-1045. We are here to fight for you.
You must immediately notify police if a crash injures or kills someone or damages a vehicle so it cannot be driven normally and safely, under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.026. For minor crashes with no injuries and drivable cars, a call may not be required, but having an officer document the scene can help protect your claim.
In many cases, yes. If officers did not respond, many Texas police departments and sheriff's offices let you file a report at the station or online after the fact. Contact the agency for the city or county where the crash happened as soon as possible. Do not leave the scene before meeting your legal duties, though.
No. Texas repealed the driver's written report requirement effective September 1, 2017, and TxDOT stopped retaining CR-2 forms as of January 1, 2019. TxDOT will destroy any CR-2 it receives. Some local agencies still provide the form so you can record crash details for your own records and insurance claim.
Officers must submit crash reports to TxDOT within 10 days for crashes involving injury, death, or at least $1,000 in damage. TxDOT says it can take up to 14 days after the crash for the report to appear in its online purchase system. Once available, a regular copy costs $6 and a certified copy costs $8.
Under Transportation Code Section 550.065, full crash reports are released to people directly involved, including drivers, vehicle owners, injured people, insurers, and their authorized representatives such as attorneys. Members of the public who do not qualify can request a redacted copy that removes personal details like names, addresses, and license numbers.
All too often, accident victims are steamrolled by insurance companies determined to minimize or deny their claims. Don't let this happen to you. Hire us to fight for the compensation you deserve.
At The Daspit Law Firm, Our Team of Attorneys Handles the Full Range of Personal Injury Cases, Including Car and Truck Accidents, Industrial Accidents, Construction Accidents, Maritime & Offshore Accidents, and Much More.
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