What To Do After a Car Accident in Texas: A 2026 Guide

What To Do After a Car Accident in Texas: A 2026 Guide

A car accident in Texas can happen on a packed Houston freeway, a Dallas toll road, an Austin commuter corridor, a San Antonio intersection, or a rural stretch of I-10 with limited shoulder space. The setting changes, but the first priorities stay the same: stop, protect people from further harm, call for help when required, exchange information, document what happened, and keep a clean record for insurance.

This guide explains what to do after a car accident in Texas from the first few minutes through law enforcement reporting, TxDOT crash records, insurance claims, modified comparative fault, uninsured drivers, rideshare collisions, and lawsuit deadlines. It relies on official sources, including the Texas Transportation Code, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas Insurance Code, the Texas Department of Transportation, and the Texas Department of Insurance.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every crash has facts that may require advice from a licensed Texas attorney.

Stop Immediately and Stay Safe

Texas Transportation Code Chapter 550 sets the basic duties after a collision. Section 550.021 requires a driver involved in a crash that results or is reasonably likely to result in injury or death to stop at the scene or as close as possible, determine whether anyone needs aid, and remain until the information-and-aid duties in Section 550.023 are handled. Section 550.022 covers collisions involving vehicle damage.

On I-35 in Austin, I-45 in Houston, US-290 near Cypress, or I-10 through San Antonio, the second crash can be more dangerous than the first. Turn on hazard lights, move a drivable vehicle out of active lanes when it can be done safely, and stay away from traffic flow. If the vehicle is disabled, keep seat belts fastened until it is safe to exit, especially at night, during rain, or near construction zones.

Do not leave the scene because the damage looks minor. Texas law treats stopping and exchanging information as separate duties from deciding who was at fault.

Call 911 and Check for Injuries

Call 911 immediately if anyone is injured, unconscious, trapped, bleeding, confused, or complaining of neck, head, back, chest, or abdominal pain. A 911 call also makes sense when a crash blocks a lane, involves a commercial truck, creates a fire risk, involves suspected impaired driving, or occurs in fast-moving traffic.

Give the dispatcher precise location details. On a freeway, use the nearest exit, mile marker, direction of travel, or cross street. In cities, give the intersection and lane direction. In rural counties, note nearby businesses, bridges, frontage roads, or GPS landmarks.

Check yourself first, then passengers, then others if it is safe. Do not move an injured person unless fire, smoke, traffic, or another immediate danger makes staying in place more hazardous.

Contact Texas Law Enforcement

Texas Transportation Code Section 550.026 requires immediate notice to the local police department, sheriff's office, or another appropriate law enforcement agency when a crash involves injury, death, or damage to a vehicle to the extent that it cannot be normally and safely driven. On many Texas highways, the responding agency may be city police, county sheriff's deputies, a constable, or the Texas Department of Public Safety.

When officers investigate a qualifying crash, Texas Transportation Code Section 550.062 requires a written report to TxDOT not later than the tenth day after the crash if the collision involved injury, death, or at least $1,000 in apparent property damage. TxDOT identifies this officer report as the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report, commonly called the CR-3.

Ask the officer for the crash report number, the agency name, and instructions for requesting the final report. TxDOT says crash reports are confidential and generally released only to people with a proper interest, including involved drivers, vehicle owners, insurers, and authorized representatives.

Exchange Information Properly

Texas Transportation Code Section 550.023 requires a driver involved in a crash to provide name, address, vehicle registration number, and the name of the motor vehicle liability insurer to other involved parties. The same section also requires showing a driver's license when requested and providing reasonable assistance to an injured person.

Use your phone camera to capture the other driver's license, insurance card, license plate, and registration if the driver agrees. Also write down the driver's phone number, vehicle make and model, and the name of any vehicle owner if different from the driver.

Keep the exchange factual. Do not argue fault, apologize as a substitute for facts, or guess about speed. A calm statement such as "I was traveling north on I-35 in the right lane" is more useful than a conclusion about who caused the collision.

Gather Evidence at the Scene

Good evidence is specific, dated, and collected before the scene changes. Take wide photos showing the full road layout, medium photos showing vehicle positions, and close photos showing damage, paint transfer, debris, skid marks, traffic signals, lane markings, weather, and visible injuries.

In Texas, geography often matters. Houston freeway traffic, Dallas congestion, Austin construction zones, San Antonio intersections, oil-field routes, and rural frontage roads all create different questions about lane changes, speed, visibility, and right of way. Photograph signs, signals, shoulders, ramps, and any road work that shaped driver choices.

Get witness names and phone numbers. If a business, apartment complex, toll facility, gas station, or nearby home has cameras, write down the address and camera location. Video may be overwritten quickly, so the existence of footage should be documented early.

Seek Medical Attention Quickly

See a medical provider promptly if you have pain, dizziness, confusion, numbness, headache, weakness, ringing in the ears, abdominal tenderness, or reduced range of motion. Emergency departments, urgent care clinics, primary care offices, and follow-up specialists create records that can connect symptoms to the crash.

Tell the provider the crash date, time, direction of impact, seat position, airbag deployment, and whether you struck your head or body inside the vehicle. Mention every symptom, even if mild. Medical records are often the strongest evidence in an injury claim because they show timing, diagnosis, treatment, restrictions, and follow-up instructions.

Keep discharge papers, imaging reports, prescriptions, physical therapy referrals, mileage logs, co-pay receipts, and work restriction notes in one folder. If symptoms worsen after a day or two, return for care and document the change.

Texas Crash Reporting Rules

Texas has two different concepts that drivers often confuse: law enforcement notice and TxDOT crash records. Section 550.026 addresses when a driver must immediately notify law enforcement. Section 550.062 addresses when an investigating officer must send a written crash report to TxDOT.

TxDOT explains that it is the custodian of Texas crash records and that officers submit CR-3 reports for reportable crashes. TxDOT also explains that the old Driver's Crash Report, Form CR-2, is no longer retained by TxDOT and is no longer hosted or provided by the agency. If a crash is not investigated by police and a local agency gives you a CR-2 or similar form, TxDOT tells drivers to keep it for their own records.

The practical rule is simple: call law enforcement when anyone is hurt, a driver leaves, a vehicle cannot be safely driven, impairment is suspected, or the scene creates a traffic hazard. If officers respond, get the report number. If they do not prepare a report, preserve your own written timeline, photos, witness contacts, repair estimates, and medical records.

When and How to Notify Your Insurance

Most auto policies require prompt notice and cooperation after a crash. Notify your insurer as soon as reasonably possible, often the same day or within 24 hours. Give the date, time, location, vehicles, driver identities, witness contacts, police agency, report number if available, and a short factual account.

Texas law requires liability insurance. The Texas Department of Insurance describes the minimum as 30/60/25 coverage: $30,000 for each injured person, up to $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Minimum coverage may be too low for serious injuries or multi-vehicle crashes, so your own coverages can matter.

Before giving a recorded statement to another driver's insurer, understand that the adjuster is evaluating liability and damages for that company. A general car accident claim timeline can help you track first notice, repair inspection, medical documentation, and settlement discussions.

Texas Comparative Fault Explained

Texas uses modified comparative responsibility. Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001 bars a claimant from recovery if that claimant's responsibility is greater than 50%. Section 33.012 reduces recoverable damages by the claimant's percentage of responsibility.

Example: a Dallas driver changes lanes without enough space on I-635, but the other driver is speeding and looking down at a phone. An adjuster or jury might assign 60% responsibility to the lane-changing driver and 40% to the speeding driver. The driver at 60% cannot recover from the other party under the Texas 51% bar rule. If the split were 40% and 60% the other way, the 40% responsible driver could recover 60% of proven damages.

Fault percentages are built from evidence, not instinct. Photos, the CR-3, witness statements, vehicle damage, roadway design, and medical timing all influence the analysis. A broader comparative negligence guide can help explain how adjusters use traffic duties and evidence to argue percentages.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Situations

The Texas Department of Insurance explains that uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can pay for injuries, car repairs, rental car costs, pain and suffering, and diminished value when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance. TDI also states that insurance companies must offer UM/UIM coverage when you buy auto insurance, and that a policyholder who does not want it must reject it in writing.

UM coverage can also matter after a hit-and-run when the at-fault driver cannot be found. Report the crash, preserve all evidence, and notify your insurer quickly. Your own carrier may still investigate liability and damages closely, so treat the file with the same care as a third-party claim.

The uninsured motorist claim guide covers practical documentation steps, including policy review, police reports, medical records, and repair estimates.

Hit-and-Run Accidents in Texas

Leaving the scene can create criminal exposure under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 550. Section 550.021 covers crashes involving injury or death, Section 550.022 covers vehicle damage, Section 550.024 covers collisions with unattended vehicles, and Section 550.025 covers damage to fixtures, landscaping, or highway structures.

If the other driver flees, call 911. Write down the license plate, partial plate, make, model, color, damage, stickers, direction of travel, and driver description if safe to observe. Photograph debris, paint transfer, broken lights, and tire marks. Look for nearby cameras at intersections, toll roads, parking lots, apartment gates, or gas stations.

Do not chase the fleeing driver. A safer record is more valuable than a dangerous pursuit. A focused hit-and-run accident guide explains how police reports and UM coverage can fit together after the driver cannot be identified.

Rideshare Accidents: Uber and Lyft

Texas rideshare crashes can involve layered coverage. The Texas Department of Insurance tells riders and drivers to check how insurance applies when using rideshare services. Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1954 sets insurance requirements for transportation network company drivers.

The key question is app status. If the driver is off app, the personal auto policy is usually the starting point. If the driver is logged into the app and available but has not accepted a ride, Section 1954.052 requires specified coverage, including $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident for bodily injury or death, and $25,000 for property damage. If the driver is engaged in a prearranged ride, Section 1954.053 requires higher coverage for that ride period.

Save the trip receipt, driver name, license plate, route, pickup and drop-off points, screenshots, and all app messages. Passengers, other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians should document whether the rideshare driver was waiting for a request, driving to a pickup, or carrying a passenger. The Uber and Lyft accident guide explains the three-period insurance issue in more detail.

Important Legal Deadlines

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 generally gives two years to bring a lawsuit for personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death. The deadline usually runs from the date the claim accrues, which is often the crash date for injury and property damage claims.

Do not confuse the lawsuit deadline with insurance notice. Policy notice can be much earlier. Medical treatment, repair inspections, total-loss evaluations, and UM/UIM claims may also involve separate policy conditions.

Crashes involving public vehicles, dangerous road conditions, or government entities can involve shorter notice rules under Texas law or local rules. If a city bus, county vehicle, state employee, or road-design issue is involved, speak with counsel quickly. Commercial crashes, including truck accident claims, often need early evidence preservation because driver logs, electronic data, dispatch records, and maintenance files can matter.

Common Mistakes Drivers Make

The most common Texas claim problems are practical, not dramatic:

• Leaving before exchanging information. Stop, exchange the information required by Texas law, and wait for police when notice is required.
• Skipping medical care. Delayed care makes it easier for an insurer to argue that symptoms came from something else.
• Not getting the report number. A CR-3 can become central to insurance review, especially when fault is disputed.
• Guessing about fault. Texas fault percentages affect recovery, so stick to facts until the evidence is reviewed.
• Failing to photograph the scene. Vehicle positions, lane markings, debris, road work, and signal timing can disappear quickly.
• Trusting minimum insurance to cover everything. Texas 30/60/25 limits may not cover serious injuries, total-loss vehicles, or multi-car crashes.
• Posting about the crash online. Public posts can be reviewed out of context during claims.

When It Makes Sense to Speak With a Lawyer

Many minor Texas crashes resolve through insurance without an attorney. A low-speed parking-lot scrape with no injury, clear responsibility, and cooperative insurers may not need legal help.

A consultation makes more sense when injuries require emergency treatment, imaging, injections, surgery, or extended therapy; fault is disputed under the 51% bar rule; the other driver is uninsured; a hit-and-run occurred; a rideshare or commercial vehicle is involved; a government entity may be responsible; or an insurer delays, denies, or makes an offer before medical treatment is complete.

Texas lawyers are licensed by the State Bar of Texas. Ask about experience with the specific crash type, how evidence will be preserved, who communicates with insurers, how medical bills and liens are handled, and what fee percentage applies before and after a lawsuit is filed. Bicycle and motorcycle cases may raise additional visibility and injury issues, so the bicycle accident hub and motorcycle accident hub are useful context for vulnerable-road-user claims.

Quick Emergency Checklist

A practical scene-to-claim checklist for Texas drivers:

• Stop as close to the scene as safely possible.
• Turn on hazard lights and move out of active lanes if the vehicle can be safely driven.
• Call 911 if anyone is injured, a vehicle cannot be safely driven, a driver fled, impairment is suspected, or the crash blocks traffic.
• Check yourself, passengers, and others for injuries.
• Exchange name, address, registration, license, and insurance information.
• Photograph vehicles, plates, damage, debris, road conditions, signals, signs, injuries, and the wider scene.
• Collect witness names, phone numbers, and short statements.
• Ask for the responding agency and crash report number.
• Seek medical care promptly and follow treatment instructions.
• Notify your insurer as soon as reasonably possible.
• Keep repair estimates, medical bills, receipts, wage-loss records, and insurer letters in one folder.
• Preserve screenshots and receipts if Uber, Lyft, delivery, or commercial driving was involved.

Official Texas Resources

Bookmark these official sources for current Texas crash, insurance, and legal information:

• Texas Department of Transportation crash reports and records - CR-3 reports, CR-2 retention, crash report access, and TxDOT crash records.
• TxDOT CRASH portal - law enforcement submission system for Texas Peace Officer's Crash Reports.
• Texas Transportation Code Chapter 550 - duties after collisions and collision reporting rules.
• Texas Department of Insurance auto insurance guide - liability minimums, claim basics, and policy coverage descriptions.
• Texas Department of Insurance UM/UIM coverage guide - uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage basics.
• Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33 - proportionate responsibility and the 51% bar rule.
• Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 16 - limitations periods.
• Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1954 - transportation network company driver insurance.
• Texas Department of Insurance rideshare insurance tips - questions to ask about rideshare coverage.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - federal vehicle safety and crash prevention resources.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention transportation safety - public health information on crash injury prevention.

State and federal information can change. Confirm procedures on the official site before acting, keep copies of every report and medical record, and speak with a Texas-licensed attorney before relying on this guide for a specific claim.