Car accidents in Texas involving more than $1000 in damages, or that result in the death or any level of injury to those involved, need to be documented by the police.
In fact, it’s a state law — these crash reports need to be filed with TxDOT within 10 days of the accident. That means the police need to fill out a police report at the scene of an accident that meets any of these requirements.
But sometimes the police crash report doesn’t tell the whole story. Other times, the police may not even show up, even though they should have. In times like this, you’re not on your own. In fact, TxDOT has a procedure for just such an occasion. You can fill out your own Texas crash report. It’s called the CR-2 Accident Form, and here’s everything you need to know about how, and when, to use it.
The CR-2 Driver Crash Report
The TxDOT Driver’s Crash Report Form, more commonly known as a Texas blue form, a Form CR-2, or even just a “CR2 accident form”, is your first, last, and only defense in the event that you’ve been involved in an accident that should have had a police report filled out for it — or for an accident that has a police report with erroneous or even incorrect information. It’s a freely downloadable form made available to the public by TxDOT (you can find a downloadable PDF of this Texas crash report form here).
Once you’ve downloaded your blank Texas crash report, you’ll have to fill it out yourself. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to mail it in or drop it off in person, as there are ways to submit a CR-2 online over the internet that save you time and hassle. This is because the new CR2 accident form, which was redesigned in 2017, is now capable of being submitted online as TxDOT continues to push towards adopting electronic recordkeeping. You can still mail it in manually if you want as there’s nothing stopping you from doing so, but make sure you retain a copy for yourself if you do. Also, remember: that 10-day timeline that the police are required to adhere to also applies to you, so don’t delay!
Filling Out a CR-2 Report
If you’ve got to fill out and file a CR-2 blue form, you’re going to have to include as much relevant information as possible. This would have been included in a police report if there had been one, so you’ll have to be thorough but also to the point. Additionally, if you’re submitting a CR-2 to clear up an inconsistency or error made in your official police report, you’ll also have to be as detailed but factual as possible.
Here’s what a CR-2 will need in the way of information:
Accident location: Include not just street address but also the city or the county the accident occurred.
Time of accident: This means both the day it happened and, if you know, the time of day that it occurred.
Vehicles involved: When describing the vehicles, begin with yours before going on to any others.
Property damage: Describe the damage to your vehicle, other vehicles, and also any damage done to nearby property (fence posts, mailboxes, and so on).
Injuries from the crash: If there are any injuries, describe them per person. Be sure to include where you or other parties were sitting within the vehicle when the injuries occurred.
Driver’s statement: This is the story of the accident, from your point of view. If you need more space to tell the whole story, feel free to include an additional page. This is also where you would stress any differences between your version of what happened and any different versions as recorded in a police report.
Signature: Signing your Texas blue form is your way of attesting that you’re telling the truth to the best of your ability. This is a legal document you’re signing, so be sure you’re being as truthful as you can before signing on that dotted line.
A Final Word on Your Driver Crash Report
If you’ve been involved in an accident that never had a police report filled out for it, despite the fact that it was serious enough to merit one, you’ve got 10 days to submit your own crash report to TxDOT. Additionally, if the police did fill out a crash report but you feel they got some things wrong, you can correct the record by filing your own report in tandem with the police report.
In either case, you can do so yourself by downloading and filling out a CR-2 accident form. These forms can be mailed to TxDOT once you’ve completed them. In some cases, you can also submit a CR-2 online through special services. Make sure you keep a copy of your own and be sure to set the record straight about that accident!