andrei | October 8, 2025 | Car Accidents
Do’s and Don’ts After a Texas Car Accident
A crash happens in seconds. The decisions you make in the next few minutes can shape your health, your claim, and the path to recovery. Calm is hard to find when airbags deploy and traffic stacks up behind you, yet a few steady steps protect both safety and evidence.
This guide covers practical do’s and don’ts for car accidents in Texas, with pointers on police reports, insurance issues, and how Texas laws affect your case. It is written for real life in Sugar Land, TX, and greater Houston, where busy corridors meet heavy commuter flow. Use it to stay grounded, make smart choices, and safeguard your rights if you need a car accident lawyer later.
1) Immediate Safety and Legal Duties at the Scene
Your first priority is preventing a second collision. If your vehicle can be driven safely, Texas law expects you to move it out of travel lanes to a safe location and complete the information exchange there. The rule is commonly called “Steer It, Clear It,” and it keeps you and everyone behind you out of harm’s way.
As soon as reasonably possible, check for injuries and call 911. If there are injuries, a death, or any vehicle is disabled, you must report the crash by the quickest means of communication to local police or the sheriff, depending on where the wreck occurred. Stay at the scene, exchange information, and offer reasonable aid if someone needs help getting to medical care.
- Move drivable vehicles to a safe spot nearby to reduce danger and complete the exchange.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt, if a car cannot be safely driven, or if you are unsure.
- Exchange names, addresses, vehicle registration, and insurance; show your license on request. Provide reasonable assistance to anyone who appears to need medical care.
- Do not leave. Remaining at the scene until duties are complete is required in crashes with injury or attended vehicle damage.
If an officer investigates, they will file a written report when the crash involves injury, death, or property damage of at least one thousand dollars. That report is typically submitted within ten days.
2) Documenting the Collision Like a Pro
Evidence fades fast on a shoulder or in a crowded intersection. While waiting for police or a tow, use your phone to build a short, clear record. Photos and brief notes done now will outperform memory months later when an insurance company questions what happened.
Capture wide shots first, then move in. Photograph all vehicles, license plates, skid marks, resting positions, debris fields, the road surface, signal lights, and any nearby cameras. Take close-ups of visible injuries, damaged areas, and interior airbag deployment. If it is safe, record a short video from several angles. Ask witnesses for names and contact details. If the other driver gives an explanation, write down their exact words.
- Photograph lanes, traffic control devices, and any nearby construction or hazards.
- Note weather, lighting, and the time. Small details help reconstruct motor vehicle accidents.
- Ask businesses for exterior camera locations and the name of a contact.
- Preserve dashcam footage. Save a copy off the device so it is not overwritten.
- Keep all receipts for towing, storage, rideshare, and temporary transportation.
Good documentation reduces disputes, shortens the claims process, and supports your credibility if litigation becomes necessary.
3) Medical Care, Symptom Tracking, and Claim Value
Adrenaline can mask injuries. Even if you feel “okay,” get checked by a medical professional as soon as possible. That visit is health care, not strategy. It also creates a clean medical record that ties symptoms to the car accident, which is critical when an insurer later claims your injuries are unrelated or “minor.”
Follow-through matters. If a doctor recommends imaging or therapy, schedule it. Keep a simple symptom and activity log for the first few weeks. Note missed work, sleep problems, and tasks you cannot perform without pain. These notes give your personal injury attorneys or car accident lawyer a reliable, day-to-day record of how the crash changed your life. They also help your providers adjust treatment. Consistent care supports both recovery and case value, and it reduces the chance of a gap in treatment that an adjuster may seize on to undervalue your claim.
4) Talking to Insurers: Do’s and Don’ts
Insurance companies move quickly after car accidents. Their adjusters are trained communicators. You control what you share and when you share it. Protect yourself with a few simple rules while still complying with your own policy’s notice requirements.
- Notify your insurer promptly, but keep descriptions factual and brief.
- Decline recorded statements to the at-fault insurer until you speak with counsel. You are not required to give one.
- Do not guess about speeds, distances, or medical diagnoses. “I’m still being evaluated” is accurate and appropriate.
- Do not sign blanket medical authorizations or early releases. These can expose unrelated history or limit future claims.
- Be cautious with property damage totals and “total loss” valuations. Get repair estimates and, when needed, independent appraisals.
If you feel pressured, that is a signal to pause. A short consultation with car accident attorneys levels the playing field and prevents common mistakes that reduce your leverage later.
5) Understanding Texas Laws That Affect Your Claim
A few core rules shape most Texas claims. First, Texas follows proportionate responsibility. If you are more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover damages from the other driver. If you are 50 percent or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
Second, the general deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of the crash. There are exceptions for certain situations, but the safest approach is to treat two years as the limit and act well before it.
Third, Texas minimum auto liability insurance is 30/60/25: thirty thousand per person, sixty thousand per accident, and twenty-five thousand for property damage. Minimums are often inadequate in serious crashes, which is why many families choose higher limits.
Finally, insurers must offer Personal Injury Protection and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage; you can reject either in writing. If you did not sign a rejection, you likely have the coverage. These benefits can help with immediate medical costs or protect you when the at-fault driver has little or no insurance.
6) Police Reports, CR-3, and the “Blue Form” Confusion
Texas once used a driver-completed “blue form” known as the CR-2 for certain crashes that police did not investigate. That form is no longer filed with TxDOT and has not been retained since 2019. Today, if an officer investigates a qualifying crash, the agency files a CR-3 Peace Officer’s Crash Report electronically. If no officer investigates, you should still document everything for your own records, but you will not submit a CR-2 to the state.
As a practical matter, call law enforcement when there are injuries, unsafe traffic conditions, or significant damage. Under Texas law, an officer who is notified of a collision involving injury, death, or apparent property damage of at least one thousand dollars may investigate and file the report. That report often becomes the backbone of the insurance claim.
7) Social Media, Repairs, and Rentals: Small Choices With Big Impact
Modern claims are data-rich. Insurers and defense lawyers often review public social media for posts and photos that can be spun against you. Keep updates private and avoid posting about the crash, your injuries, or your activities. A harmless picture from a family gathering can be misread later to argue you were not hurt.
Choose your repair shop thoughtfully. You are not required to use the insurance company’s preferred vendor. Focus on quality and OEM parts when safety is concerned. Save all estimates, invoices, and communications. If you need a rental, know that liability carriers typically owe for a reasonable period of loss of use, but the details vary with fault and coverage. Keep receipts and return the vehicle promptly when your car is ready to avoid disputes over daily charges. If the process stalls, your personal injury attorneys can push for fair treatment while you focus on recovery.
8) Smart Use of Coverage You Already Have
Your own policy may hold benefits that keep household finances stable while the larger liability claim works through the system. Review your declarations page or ask your agent to confirm what is available.
- Personal Injury Protection can pay medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault. It must be offered with every auto policy, and you must reject it in writing if you do not want it.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is also offered and may apply if the at-fault driver has no coverage or not enough to pay for your losses. Written rejection is required if you choose not to carry it.
- Your collision coverage, if purchased, can repair or replace your car quickly, with your insurer later seeking reimbursement from the at-fault carrier.
Using first-party benefits is not “giving up” on your claim. It is a practical way to bridge bills and keep life moving while fault and damages are evaluated.
9) Common Mistakes to Avoid After Texas Car Accidents
Some missteps are easy to prevent. Others happen because people try to be polite or helpful in a stressful moment. A little awareness goes a long way.
- Apologizing at the scene. You can check on others without assigning blame.
- Guessing about injuries or promising you are fine. Let doctors evaluate you.
- Letting the vehicles sit in live lanes when they can be moved safely. Texas law expects you to relocate drivable cars to a safer spot before exchanging information.
- Assuming the minimum 30/60/25 limits will cover everything. Serious injuries often exceed those amounts.
- Waiting months to call a lawyer. Evidence like video or event-data recorder downloads can disappear quickly.
Avoiding these pitfalls protects both your health and the value of your claim.
10) When to Call a Lawyer and What to Expect
Not every fender bender needs legal help. When injuries are significant, liability is disputed, or the insurance company presses for a quick, low settlement, it makes sense to bring in experienced car accident attorneys. In a typical case, your lawyer will preserve evidence, request the CR-3 report, gather medical records, calculate losses, and start a dialogue with the carrier backed by facts and documentation.
Good counsel is also a buffer. Adjusters and defense lawyers prefer to manage the narrative. A car accident lawyer reframes the discussion around proof, not opinions. In Texas, proportionate responsibility rules and strict filing deadlines leave little room for error. Early guidance ensures your claim is presented clearly and on time under the governing statutes.
Contact The Crash Team for a Free Case Evaluation
A crash is overwhelming. Knowing what to do next should not be. The Crash Team is a personal injury law firm based in Sugar Land, TX, serving clients across Texas with clear guidance and steady advocacy. Our attorneys, Aaron and Breanne Galvan, have built a client-first practice that blends courtroom experience with the practical support families need after motor vehicle accidents. We handle car accidents, 18-wheeler and company-vehicle crashes, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, and more.
We treat clients like people, not file numbers. Our team is bilingual in English and Spanish, and you pay nothing unless we win. From preserving scene evidence to countering insurance tactics, we do the work that moves cases forward. If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident and want a responsive team of personal injury attorneys in your corner, contact The Crash Team for a free consultation today.