What to do after a car accident in Austin, Texas
The local steps are quoted from Austin agency pages and the Texas rules from state law, each with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
At fault state
The short answer
The Austin Police Department works crashes inside the Austin city limits. Call 9-1-1 if anyone is hurt or a driver is still in danger. For a crash that is not an emergency, call 3-1-1, or 512-974-2000 if you are calling from outside Austin.
Austin does not leave it to you to decide whether a crash is worth a call. Police policy is that an officer is sent to every reported crash, with only the exceptions the order lists. The officer writes the state crash report when someone is hurt or killed, when the damage means a wrecker is needed, or when a supervisor decides the report is in the public interest. Either way the officer hands both drivers a Driver and Insurance Information Form, the brown form, so you can trade details.
Austin crash reports are sold online through LexisNexis, which the police department links from its own crash report page. Austin Police Department is agency code TX2270100 in that system.
Who comes to a crash in Austin
The agency that responds
The Austin Police Department works crashes inside the Austin city limits. Call 9-1-1 if anyone is hurt or a driver is still in danger. For a crash that is not an emergency, call 3-1-1, or 512-974-2000 if you are calling from outside Austin.
“call 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000 if calling outside of Austin.”
When officers actually come out
Austin does not leave it to you to decide whether a crash is worth a call. Police policy is that an officer is sent to every reported crash, with only the exceptions the order lists. The officer writes the state crash report when someone is hurt or killed, when the damage means a wrecker is needed, or when a supervisor decides the report is in the public interest. Either way the officer hands both drivers a Driver and Insurance Information Form, the brown form, so you can trade details.
“Therefore, officers shall be dispatched to all reported crashes except as noted.”
If no officer comes
Austin does not ask you to write up your own crash report. Because police policy is to send an officer to every reported crash, you call 9-1-1 or 3-1-1 instead of filing it yourself. Austin's online reporting tool at iReportAustin.com does take a hit and run report, and if you cannot use the tool you report by phone at 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000.
“To report by phone, call Austin 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000”
On the interstates and state highways
If a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper worked your crash on a state highway instead of Austin police, do not go to the city's report counter. DPS sends you to the Texas Department of Transportation's online purchase system for the same crash report.
“You may obtain a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3) (regular or certified) from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Report Online Purchase System.”
What Texas law requires you to report
If the crash hurt or killed someone, or damaged a vehicle badly enough that it cannot be driven safely, the driver must immediately notify local police, the sheriff, or the nearest Department of Public Safety office.
“The operator of a vehicle involved in a collision resulting in injury to or death of a person or damage to a vehicle to the extent that it cannot be normally and safely driven shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of the collision to the: (1) local police department if the collision occurred in a municipality; (2) local police department or the sheriff's office if the collision occurred not more than 100 feet outside the limits of a municipality; or (3) sheriff's office or the nearest office of the department if the collision is not required to be reported under Subdivision (1) or (2).”
Getting your Austin crash report
Where to get it
Austin crash reports are sold online through LexisNexis, which the police department links from its own crash report page. Austin Police Department is agency code TX2270100 in that system.
“Purchase online crash reports for the Austin Police Department jurisdiction with LexisNexis® Police Reports.”
What it costs
An Austin crash report costs $9 to download online. That is the price the city's own Public Records Center prints for a crash report.
“Crash Reports may be downloaded instantly online at a cost of $9.”
How long it takes
The Austin pages we checked on September 17, 2026 do not publish this. Ask the records office when you order it.
If your car was towed
Where it goes and how to get it back
A car towed after an Austin crash goes to the storage lot of the wrecker company that hauled it. Austin police let the driver pick a company off the approved list, and dispatch one through the AutoReturn system when the driver has no preference. To find your car, call 3-1-1 with your vehicle information, search by plate or VIN at search.autoreturn.com, or call 888-217-9731.
“For vehicles towed from a public road, please call 3-1-1 with your vehicle information, visit www.search.autoreturn.com or call them at 888-217-9731.”
Storage is charged by the day in most cities, so the bill grows while a claim is still open. Tell your insurer where the car is as soon as you know.
Texas deadlines that apply in Austin
- 2 years
- to sue for injuriesTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(a)
- 2 years
- to sue for car or property damageTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(a)
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a deathTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(b)
- 6 months
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101(a)
All Texas rules: fault, insurance minimums and the full deadline list
The Texas rules behind your claim
Who pays for the damage
Texas is an at-fault state. The driver who causes a crash is responsible for the other person's injuries and damage.
“Liability insurance pays to repair or replace the other driver's car, or other damaged property, and pays other people's medical expenses when you're at fault in an accident.”
If you were partly at fault
Texas uses modified comparative fault, called proportionate responsibility. You cannot recover any money if your own share of fault is greater than 50 percent.
“a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
What insurance every driver must carry
Texas drivers must carry at least $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage coverage.
“Texas law requires you to have at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for property damage. This is called 30/60/25 coverage.”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
- Austin Police, department home page
- Austin Police Department, General Orders 346.1 Purpose and Scope
- City of Austin, File a police report
- City of Austin, Purchase an APD online crash report
- City of Austin Public Records Center, How do I obtain a crash/accident report
- City of Austin Public Records Center, How do I obtain a copy of a crash report
- Austin Police Department, Wrecker Enforcement
- Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Civil Suits
- Texas Department of Public Safety, Public Information Requests
The state law behind these steps
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.