Mark Anderson | May 28, 2026 | Car Accidents
After a car accident, many drivers worry about more than vehicle repairs and medical bills. They also want to know how long the accident will remain on their record and whether it will affect their insurance rates. In Texas, a car accident can impact your driving history, insurance premiums, and other aspects of your driving history.
The exact amount of time an accident stays on your record depends on several factors, including who caused the crash and whether any traffic violations or criminal charges were involved.
What Is Included on a Driving Record?
A driving record, sometimes called a motor vehicle record (MVR), contains information about your driving history. Insurance companies, employers, and government agencies may review this record for different purposes.
A driving record may include:
- Car accidents
- Traffic tickets and moving violations
- License suspensions or revocations
- DUI convictions
- Penalties related to unsafe driving
Insurance companies often use this information to evaluate risk when determining coverage and premiums. Employers may also review driving records when hiring commercial drivers, delivery drivers, or workers who operate company vehicles.
How Long Do Accidents Typically Remain on a Driving Record?
In many cases, a car accident remains on a driving record for about three years. However, the timeline can vary depending on the severity of the crash and whether any additional offenses occurred.
Insurance companies may also maintain their own claims history records for longer periods. Even if an accident no longer appears on your driving record, an insurer may still consider it when calculating premiums.
Serious accidents involving injuries, fatalities, reckless driving, or DWI charges can continue to affect a driver for much longer.
Factors That Can Affect How Long an Accident Stays on Your Record
Not every accident affects drivers the same way. Some crashes may have only a temporary impact, while others can remain relevant for years. Insurance companies and state agencies often look at the details of the collision when evaluating driving history.
Several factors can affect how long an accident stays on your record, including:
- Whether you were at fault for the crash
- The severity of the accident
- Whether anyone suffered injuries
- Whether traffic violations were involved
- Your previous driving history
In general, drivers with multiple accidents or serious violations may face longer-lasting consequences than someone involved in a minor first-time collision.
How Long Can a Car Accident Affect Insurance Rates?
A car accident can affect your insurance premiums long after the crash itself. Many insurance companies review claims and accident history from the past three to five years when calculating rates.
Insurance providers may consider several details before raising premiums, such as:
- Whether the accident was at fault
- The cost of the claim
- The extent of property damage
- Whether injuries occurred
- Your overall driving history
In some situations, drivers may qualify for accident forgiveness programs that help prevent rate increases after a first accident. However, repeated claims or serious crashes can result in much higher premiums over time.
Can You Remove an Accident From Your Driving Record?
In most situations, a legitimate accident cannot simply be erased from your driving record before the reporting period ends. However, drivers may be able to correct inaccurate information or dispute reporting errors.
You may be able to challenge information if:
- The accident was reported incorrectly
- Fault was assigned by mistake
- Another driver’s information was attached to your record
- The report contains inaccurate details
Reviewing your driving record regularly can help you identify errors before they negatively affect your insurance rates or employment opportunities.
Contact Anderson Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Free Consultation With an Austin Car Accident Attorney
A car accident can affect your driving record and insurance rates for years, especially if the crash involved injuries, traffic violations, or fault disputes. Understanding how long an accident may stay on your record can help you protect your rights and prepare for potential financial consequences.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth, Dallas, or Austin and need legal help, contact our personal injury lawyers at Anderson Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We proudly serve Tarrant County, Dallas County, Travis County, and throughout Texas.
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office
1310 W El Paso St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 294-1900
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.74621197527774, -97.33552733508391
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office (Secondary)
6618 Fossil Bluff Dr # 108, Fort Worth, TX 76137
(817) 631-4113
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.86241013538118, -97.30973893918065
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Dallas Office
408 W Eighth St Suite 202, Dallas, TX 75208
(214) 327-8000
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 32.748815542196404, -96.82524302658787
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Austin Office
811 Nueces Street 6301, Austin TX, 78701
(512) 399-5000
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 30.307794623518102, -97.73755898409242
About the Author
Mark A. Anderson is the founder of Anderson Injury Lawyers and a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer—an honor held by only a small percentage of Texas attorneys. He earned his law degree from Baylor University School of Law and has spent more than 20 years helping injury victims across Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. Mark handles cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, product liability, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, and more. Click here to view some of the successful case results Mark has achieved for his clients.
Location: Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin, Texas
Justia / LinkedIn / Yelp / Facebook / Instagram / X / TikTok / Youtube