Anderson Injury Lawyers | September 21, 2022 | Car Accidents
No one ever plans to be involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, accidents occur every single day. According to data collected from the Texas Department of Transportation, a car crash occurs in Texas every 57 seconds.
Interestingly, these accidents happen because of many different reasons, such as distracted drivers, hazards on the road, and vehicle malfunctioning.
Regardless of the reason for the crash, it can be devastating. If you or a loved one have been involved in a car crash, you may be wondering if you need to fill out a police report in Fort Worth, Texas. The short answer is that it depends on the accident and damages sustained. In this article, we’ll discuss what a police report entails and when you should submit a report.
Understanding the Procedures Regarding Police Reports in Texas
There are situations where you must submit a police report. These instances include accidents where there was a fatality, a serious injury, if there was more than $1,000 in property damage, or if any vehicles were rendered inoperable as a result of the crash.
In these instances, you absolutely must inform the police about the collision. Once you contact the police, they will inspect the accident scene and conduct the collision investigation. They will then compile and submit a police crash report.
Police reports contain a wealth of information about the accident. They include information about:
- Date, time, and place of the collision.
- Vehicles involved, including their make, model, color, license plate number, and VIN.
- Information on trucks and buses used for commercial purposes involved in the accident.
- Drivers’ names, contact information, license numbers, and insurance details. Contact details for any other parties involved, such as passengers or pedestrians. If different from the drivers, the names of the vehicle owners.
- A description of any injuries and damage to property that the accident may have caused.
- Disposition of any victims or harmed parties.
- Where the accident occurred and by whom.
- Whether the vehicle had to be towed.
- The officer’s account of what happened and a diagram.
- Situations and elements that could have caused the crash.
- Possible reasons for the collision and any tickets or penalties that were issued.
- Any other important information the officer deems vital to the investigation.
Immediately after the collision, you should get a copy of your Fort Worth auto accident report. This enables you to look over what the reporting officer observed at the accident scene. These facts are crucial to your wrongful death or personal injury claim.
What Does Texas Law Say About Car Crash Reporting?
The State of Texas’ crash data is kept safe by TxDOT. According to Texas Transportation Code 550.062, any law enforcement officer who, during their work, investigates a motor vehicle crash that results in property damage to one or more individuals totaling $1,000 or more must submit a written report of that crash to TxDOT no later than ten days following the accident.
As of September 1, 2017, TxDOT no longer keeps the Driver’s Crash Report (Form CR-2) on record. The retention period ended for all CR-2 forms on January 1, 2019.
As a result, TxDOT no longer hosts or distributes copies of the CR-2 form and no longer maintains any Driver’s Crash Reports in its custodial records. Drivers who were given a CR-2 or a similar local agency form after being involved in a crash that was not investigated by a police officer should keep this information for their records.
There is now a new form that TxDOT manages called the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3), which has supplanted the CR-2 form.
Obtaining a Copy of Your Fort Worth Car Accident Police Report
There are three ways to obtain a copy of your Fort Worth police department accident report. First, you may visit the Fort Worth Police Department in person. Second, accident reports may also be requested via mail. In addition to a research fee of $6.00, the Police Department levies a fee of $6.00 for each accident report. Online requests for Fort Worth incident reports are also available for $11.00.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorney at Anderson Injury Lawyers
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth or Dallas and need legal help, contact our car accident lawyers at Anderson Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We proudly serve Tarrant County, Dallas County, and throughout Texas.
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office
1310 W El Paso St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 294-1900
Office Hours: 24 Hours, 7 days a week
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office (Secondary)
6618 Fossil Bluff Dr # 108, Fort Worth, TX 76137
(817) 631-4113
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Dallas Office
408 W Eighth St Suite 202, Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 327-8000
Office Hours: 24 Hours, 7 days a week
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Dallas Office (Secondary)
6301 Gaston Ave suite 610, Dallas, TX 75214
(469) 457-4711
