You can find out if someone was in a car accident in Texas by searching the TxDOT Crash Records Information System (CRIS), calling local police departments, checking hospitals, or contacting towing companies and storage facilities.
The fastest method is calling the nonemergency line for police or sheriff’s departments where the accident likely occurred, though they can only confirm if they responded to a call involving that person.
When you’re worried about a loved one’s safety, getting accurate information quickly becomes your priority. Texas maintains several official databases and resources that help you locate accident reports and confirm whether someone was involved in a crash.
However, accessing complete information depends on your relationship to the person involved and understanding which agencies handle different types of accidents.
This guide explains every method available to find accident information in Texas, from immediate phone calls to formal record requests, plus what information you need and who can access full reports.
Quick Ways to Check Today
When you’re worried someone you care about has been in an accident, getting fast answers becomes your priority. You need to know where to look and what information helps you search effectively.
Call Local Police Nonemergency and Dispatch
Your fastest option is calling the nonemergency line for local police or the sheriff’s department where you think the accident happened. They can tell you if they responded to a crash involving someone with that name, but they won’t give you details over the phone.
Have this information ready when you call:
- Full legal name: The person’s complete name as it appears on their driver’s license.
- Date of birth: This helps distinguish between people with similar names.
- Vehicle description: Make, model, color, and license plate if you know it.
- Approximate time and location: When and where you think the accident occurred.
The dispatcher can only confirm if their officers responded to a call. They cannot share details from the actual Texas accident report during a phone conversation.
Check Hospitals and Medical Examiner Offices
Contact hospitals and trauma centers near where you believe the accident occurred. Emergency rooms can tell you if someone matching that description has been admitted, but federal privacy laws limit what they can share.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) does not restrict medical information to immediate family members only. If you’re not immediate family, hospitals may only confirm if the person is a patient without giving details about their condition.
For fatal accidents, contact the county medical examiner’s office. They handle death investigations and can confirm if they’re investigating a case involving the person you’re looking for.
Search TxDOT CRIS for a Texas Crash Report
CRIS stands for Crash Records Information System. This is Texas’s official database where all accident reports get stored after police file them.
The system contains every crash report filed by law enforcement across Texas. However, reports don’t appear immediately because officers have up to 10 days to submit their paperwork to TxDOT.
Contact Towing and Vehicle Storage Facilities
When vehicles get damaged in crashes, police call local towing companies to clear the scene. These tow trucks take cars to storage lots where they sit until owners claim them.
Call storage facilities near the suspected accident location and ask if they have a vehicle matching the description. You’ll need the license plate number or at least the make, model, and color to help them search their inventory.
Check Jail and Custody Rosters
If the accident involved drunk driving or other criminal behavior, the person might have been arrested at the scene. Most county sheriff’s offices maintain online databases showing who’s currently in custody.
These rosters are public information and update regularly throughout the day. Search by the person’s name to see if they were booked following a traffic incident.
Monitor Local News and Traffic Alerts
Major accidents that block traffic or involve multiple vehicles often get reported on local news websites and traffic apps. Police departments also post about significant crashes on their social media pages.
This method works best for serious accidents on highways or busy roads. Minor fender-benders rarely make the news unless they cause major traffic delays.
How to Use the TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System
TxDOT operates the official crash report online purchase system for the entire state. This database contains reports from every police department, sheriff’s office, and state trooper in Texas.
The system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can search and purchase reports anytime without waiting for business hours or mailing requests.
What You Need to Search CRIS
The CRIS database requires specific information to find reports. You must have at least one of these four pieces of information:
- Driver’s name: Full legal name and date of birth of anyone involved in the crash.
- Driver’s license number: Texas DL or ID number of a person involved.
- Vehicle Identification Number: The 17-character VIN of any vehicle in the accident.
- TxDOT Crash ID: The specific report number if you already know it.
You only need one of these identifiers to search successfully. The more information you have, the easier it becomes to locate the right report.
When Reports Appear in CRIS
Texas law requires police officers to file written reports within 10 days after investigating certain types of crashes. The law applies to accidents that result in injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more.
Because of this 10-day window, reports may not show up immediately in the CRIS crash report system. If your initial search doesn’t find anything, wait a few days and try again.
Complex investigations involving serious injuries or criminal charges sometimes take longer than 10 days. Officers may need additional time to complete their investigation before filing the final report.
Redacted Versus Certified Crash Reports in Texas
When you purchase a report through the system, you have two options that affect both cost and content:
- Standard report: Costs $6 and provides all the information you’re legally entitled to see.
- Certified report: Available as a certified copy that includes an official seal for use in legal proceedings.
Your relationship to the accident determines how much information you can see. If you’re not directly involved, you’ll receive a redacted version with personal details blacked out for privacy protection.
TxDOT Crash Report Costs and Delivery
The crash report online purchase system charges $6 for standard copies and $8 for certified copies. You’ll also pay a small processing fee when using a credit card for online transactions.
After completing your purchase, the system emails the report directly to your email address. This electronic delivery happens immediately, so you don’t wait for mail delivery.
Who Can Get a Texas Accident Report
Texas Transportation Code Section 550.065 controls who can access full, unredacted accident reports. This law protects privacy while allowing legitimate access for people with valid reasons.
Eligibility Under Transportation Code 550.065
The law grants access to anyone “directly concerned in the accident or having a proper interest in it.” This includes several categories of people:
- Involved parties: Drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists who were part of the accident.
- Vehicle owners: People who own vehicles that were damaged, even if they weren’t driving.
- Insurance representatives: Companies that insure vehicles or people involved in the crash.
- Legal representatives: Attorneys representing anyone involved in the accident.
- Family members: Parents or guardians of minors involved in crashes.
- Employers: Companies whose employees were driving company vehicles during work.
- Potential lawsuit parties: People who might sue because of injuries or wrongful death.
If you don’t fit these categories, you can still get a report, but it will have personal information removed to protect privacy.
How to Qualify as an Authorized Representative
To get an unredacted accident report in Texas, you must prove your relationship to someone involved. This documentation varies depending on your role:
- Attorney representation: A signed retainer agreement or letter of representation from your auto accident attorney.
- Insurance coverage: A copy of the insurance policy covering the person or vehicle.
- Employment relationship: A letter from the employer confirming the person was working.
- Family relationship: Birth certificates or legal guardianship papers for minors.
Without proper authorization, the system automatically provides a redacted version that removes sensitive personal information like addresses and phone numbers.
How to Request a Crash Report From a Police Department
While TxDOT’s CRIS system handles most requests, you can also go directly to the investigating police department. This approach helps when you need additional evidence like dashcam video or witness statements that aren’t stored in CRIS.
Different agencies handle different types of accidents based on location:
- City police: Handle accidents on city streets and roads.
- County sheriff: Respond to crashes on county roads and unincorporated areas.
- Texas DPS: Investigate accidents on state highways and interstates.
Online, Mail, or In-Person Options
Most police departments offer multiple ways to request reports, giving you flexibility based on your situation:
Online requests work through department websites that have public records portals. These systems operate similarly to the TxDOT system but may include additional local records.
Mail requests require completing a form and sending it with payment and identification. This method takes longer but works when online systems aren’t available.
In-person requests let you visit the records division during business hours. Bring photo identification and payment to complete your request immediately.
What to Include in Your Request
Successful requests include specific information that helps records clerks locate the right report quickly:
- Exact date and time: When the accident occurred, even if you’re not completely certain.
- Specific location: Street names, intersections, or highway mile markers.
- Names of involved parties: Full legal names of drivers and passengers if known.
- Report number: The case number if you have it from insurance or other sources.
- Your relationship: How you’re connected to the accident to prove eligibility.
- Payment and identification: Required fees and a copy of your photo ID.
The more details you provide, the faster clerks can process your request and locate the correct report.
Subpoenas and Affidavits for Crash Records
When standard requests don’t work, legal procedures can compel agencies to release reports. Attorneys use subpoenas, which are court orders requiring agencies to produce records.
This becomes necessary when agencies claim ongoing investigations prevent release or when you need records that aren’t typically available to the public. TxDOT now requires subpoenas to be filed through their online system rather than mailed separately.
What a Texas Crash Report Includes
The Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report uses Form CR-3, which provides a comprehensive record of what happened. Understanding its contents helps you know what information you’ll receive.
Every report contains these essential sections:
Accident details include the exact date, time, and location where the crash occurred. Officers also note weather conditions, road surface conditions, and lighting at the time of the accident.
Vehicle information covers the make, model, year, color, and VIN of every vehicle involved. The report also includes insurance company names and policy numbers when available.
Person information lists names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and dates of birth for everyone involved. This section indicates who was driving, who was a passenger, and any pedestrians or cyclists.
Officer narrative and diagram provide the investigating officer’s written description of how the accident happened. The hand-drawn diagram shows vehicle positions, impact points, and the direction each vehicle was traveling.
Contributing factors identify what the officer believes caused or contributed to the accident. Common factors include speeding, distraction, failure to yield, or impaired driving.
Citations and charges list any traffic tickets issued at the scene or criminal charges filed as a result of the investigation.
Why You May Not Find a Report Yet
Several legitimate reasons explain why your search might not immediately locate a crash report. Understanding these possibilities helps you decide what to do next.
No Officer Investigation or Private Property Crash
Texas law only requires written reports for specific types of accidents. Officers must file reports when crashes result in injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000.
Minor fender-benders with minimal damage may not meet the reporting threshold. Accidents on private property like parking lots also may not generate official police reports unless they involve injuries.
When police don’t investigate, drivers exchange insurance information and file claims directly with their insurance companies. These incidents won’t appear in any official database.
Wrong Agency or Wrong Date
Jurisdiction determines which agency responds to accidents, and this can be confusing. A crash on a city street gets handled by local police, while one on a state highway involves Texas DPS troopers.
If you’re searching the wrong agency’s records, you won’t find the report even if it exists. Similarly, if you’re uncertain about the exact date, the accident might have occurred a day earlier or later than you think.
Delays, Corrections, or Supplements
Complex investigations involving serious injuries, fatalities, or criminal charges can delay report filing beyond the standard 10-day window. Officers may need additional time to interview witnesses, analyze evidence, or coordinate with prosecutors.
Sometimes officers need to correct errors or add supplemental information after filing the initial report. This process can temporarily remove the report from public access while updates are made.
What to Do if You Still Cannot Confirm
When standard searches fail to provide answers, more formal approaches may be necessary. These methods can access records that haven’t appeared in regular databases yet.
File a Public Information Request
The Texas Public Information Act gives you the right to request government records from any state or local agency. This formal process can uncover reports that haven’t been uploaded to CRIS yet.
Submit written requests to the specific law enforcement agency you believe investigated the accident. Include as much detail as possible about the incident and your relationship to it.
Agencies have up to 10 business days to respond to public information requests. They may charge additional fees for research time if the request requires extensive searching.
Ask a Lawyer to Obtain the Report for You
Experienced attorneys have professional relationships with law enforcement agencies and records departments across Texas. As a skilled personal injury lawyer, I can navigate bureaucratic processes more efficiently than individuals trying to handle requests themselves.
When necessary, I can file subpoenas to compel release of records that agencies are withholding. This legal process ensures you get complete, unredacted reports when you’re entitled to them.
I also know how to interpret complex accident reports and can explain what the findings mean for potential legal claims. This analysis helps you understand your options for seeking compensation.
Take the First Step Toward Answers and Justice
Searching for accident information when you’re worried about a loved one creates additional stress during an already difficult time. You shouldn’t have to fight through bureaucratic red tape while dealing with uncertainty about someone’s safety.
Perrin Law PLLC Injury & Accident Lawyer can step in immediately to handle the entire search process for you. My experience with Texas law enforcement agencies and records systems means I know exactly who to contact and what information to request.
Beyond finding the report, I can review it with you and explain what it means for your legal rights. If the accident resulted from someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
You don’t pay me unless we win your case. This means you can get professional help finding answers without any upfront costs or financial risk.
Contact me today for a free consultation. Let me handle the search for answers while you focus on what matters most – your family’s wellbeing.
FAQs
Are Car Accident Reports Public Records in Texas?
Texas accident reports are public records, but state law restricts who can access complete, unredacted versions to protect personal privacy.
How Much Does a Texas Crash Report Cost Through CRIS?
Standard reports cost $6 and certified copies cost $8, plus small processing fees for online credit card transactions.
How Long Does it Take for Accident Reports to Appear in CRIS?
Reports typically become available within 10-14 days of the accident, as officers have 10 days to file their paperwork with TxDOT.
Can You Search CRIS Without Knowing the Driver’s Name?
No, you must have at least one specific identifier: a name with birth date, driver’s license number, VIN, or the TxDOT crash ID number.
How Do You Find Out if Someone Died in a Car Accident in Texas?
Contact the county medical examiner’s office where the accident occurred, as they handle all death investigations and can confirm fatalities.
What if the Police Department Says No Report Was Filed?
This often means the accident didn’t meet legal reporting requirements, occurred on private property, or was handled by a different agency with jurisdiction.
Can Insurance Companies Get Accident Reports if I Cannot?
Yes, insurance companies that covered vehicles or people involved in the accident have legal access to complete reports under Texas law.