Texas Car Accident Reports

When you request a Texas accident report, you must pay a fee of $8.00 per copy.

To get a copy of your crash report, you must provide the following information:

• The location, time, and date of the crash
• The full name of one of the drivers involved
• The driver’s license number or the crash report number.

Anyone can request a copy of a TX crash report. However, if you were not directly involved in an accident, you may only be eligible to receive a redacted report. A report with non-redacted information will include personal info for the passengers and drivers involved in the crash. Documents with non-redacted information can only be released to a person who had direct involvement in the accident, the involved party’s insurance company, an accident victim’s legal guardian or authorized representative, or legal representatives.If you were involved in a motor vehicle collision, you can request the full report. Anyone who doesn’t meet the above criteria can still receive a redacted version of a crash report.

Accident reports are valuable pieces of evidence that can be used in insurance claims following a serious collision.In a report, you can find the following accident details:

• Date, time, and location of the crash
• Diagram of the accident scene
• Driver license number
• License plate number
• The report will also include the crash narrative, which is the responding police officer’s detailed explanation regarding who they believe is at fault for the accident
• Witness information
• Statements from both drivers
• Descriptions of personal injuries and damage done to all vehicles involved

A law enforcement officer will typically file an accident report within twenty-four to seventy-two hours after the accident. The approximate time you can expect to pick up or receive your report is within seven to ten business days.If traffic crashes involve fatalities, personal injuries, and/or significant damage to property, the processing time can take several weeks. Accident investigators must first close a case before a report is made available to the public. If you have waited more than ten business days and your report is still not available, contact the law enforcement agency that filed your report to learn more.

A car accident can result in physical, financial, and emotional damages. Following a motor vehicle accident, you may be recovering from injuries, out of work due to your injuries, and struggling with anxiety and depression. If the auto accident was caused by the negligent actions of another driver, you must file an insurance claim or lawsuit to cover the cost of damages, including medical bills and lost wages.Obtaining your Texas accident report will be an important step towards strengthening your injury claim. This vital piece of evidence is filled out by the police officer who responded to the accident scene and includes their opinion concerning who they believe was at fault for the accident. But getting a copy of your crash report can be a challenge, especially if you sustained catastrophic injuries that prevent you from driving to pick it up in person.