Roderick C. Lopez | December 18, 2024 | Personal Injury
Texas Highway Patrol reports contain less information than most people expect. In 2023 alone, Texas roads had one reportable crash every 56 seconds, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Patrol reports document key details of these accidents, but they aren’t complete accounts of everything that happened.
Do All Accidents In Texas Get A Patrol Report?
Not every vehicle accident gets a patrol report. The law only requires officers to file reports for crashes that involve injury, death, or property damage over $1,000. This threshold matters because it determines whether you’ll have an official record of what happened.
The Structure Of A Texas Highway Patrol Report
A Texas Highway Patrol report follows a standard format, but unless you understand the structure, you’ll miss important details. Here’s the information you should expect to find:
- Basic facts like date, time, and location
- The narrative section, where the officer describes what they saw
- Diagrams of the accident scene that are often crude but important
- Witness statements recorded as direct quotes from people who saw what happened
- Vehicle damage descriptions highlighting technical details about impact points
- Environmental conditions, including weather, road conditions, and lighting
- Commercial vehicle information and special details for truck accidents
There’s also a section called “contributing factors.” It often contains the officer’s best guess about what caused the crash because officers usually arrive after the crash has happened. In reality, they’re just doing detective work by piecing together what they think occurred based on evidence at the scene.
How Soon Can You Get Your Texas Highway Patrol Report?
Texas Highway Patrol reports follow specific availability timelines, according to the Texas Department of Transportation:
- Electronic reports are typically available within 7-10 business days after the crash
- Paper reports may take up to 21 days to become available
- Reports involving a fatality can take 30 days or longer due to required additional investigation
- Hit-and-run crash reports may be delayed due to ongoing investigations
This waiting period allows officers to compile information, verify details, and complete any necessary additional investigation, especially in the case of fatal accidents.
How To Get Your Texas Highway Patrol Report
The Texas Department of Transportation offers three ways to obtain a crash report:
- Online: Through the Crash Report Online Purchase System
- Mail: By sending a written request to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT’s) Crash Records Section
- In Person: By visiting TxDOT’s Crash Records office in Austin
The path you choose to follow is governed by what’s convenient for you. To request a report, you’ll need:
- The date of the crash
- The county where it occurred
- The name of someone involved in the crash
- A $6.00 fee for regular reports ($8.00 for certified copies)
Regular copies work for most purposes, including insurance claims. Certified copies are typically only needed for legal proceedings.
The Downside Of Police Reports
Police reports can contain limitations and errors. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, reports often focus heavily on crash scene details and victim information while missing other key elements.
The study found that reports can vary greatly in detail and completeness, with some providing minimal information while others span over 100 pages. This inconsistency happens because officers must document complex events that unfold in seconds while working under time constraints and stress.
How Long Are Patrol Reports Stored?
TxDOT maintains crash reports for 10 years from the date of the crash. Since 2019, they no longer keep Driver’s Crash Reports (Form CR-2), making it even more important to obtain and maintain your own copies of any accident documentation.
The Role Of Texas Highway Patrol Reports
Patrol reports are valuable but not definitive. Read it carefully, note what’s there and what isn’t, and understand that it’s just one piece of evidence about what happened. Patrol reports might help reconstruct what happened, but they’re not the whole story.
Contact the Laredo Personal Injury Attorneys at Roderick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers. Call Us at (956) 529-7336
If you were injured in an accident in Laredo, TX, and need legal help, contact our Laredo personal injury lawyers at Roderick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review today.
We are located in Laredo, TX, proudly serving Webb County and surrounding areas. We are located in Laredo, Texas.
Roderick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers
6557 Metro Court, Suite 1 Laredo, TX 78041
(956) 529-7336
