If Involved in an Accident
If you are involved in an automobile accident, the follow is the advice given by the Department of Public Safety:
- Stop at once (if you are blocking traffic, move your car out of the way as quickly as possible)
- Arrange at once to warn other traffic to prevent a further crash
- Help anyone who may be hurt
- Notify the nearest police station, sheriff’s office or state trooper immediately if anyone is injured or killed or there is damage to any vehicle to the extent that it cannot be normally and safely driven
- Give your name, address, vehicle registration number, driver’s license number and insurance information to anyone who was involved in the accident. Get the same information from the other driver. Record the insurance company name and policy number exactly as shown on the driver’s proof of insurance card. Similar company names can cause confusion. If you have the name of the driver’s company, call the Texas Department of Insurance toll-free at 1-800-252-3439 to get the company address and telephone number.
- If there is an injury, death or $1,000 property damage to any one person, you must make a written report to the Department of Public Safety; if however, the accident was investigated by a law enforcement officer, the officer’s report will fulfill this reporting requirement.
- If you damage an unattended vehicle, you must either locate the owner or leave your name, address, the name of the owner of the vehicle you were driving and a statement of what happened on the damaged vehicle where the owner will find it.
- If you damage property you must make a reasonable effort to locate the owner to give him all the necessary information.
- When an accident occurs on a main lane, ramp, shoulder, median, or adjacent area of a freeway in a metropolitan area and the vehicles can be safely driven, each driver shall move his/her vehicle away from the accident area to the designated accident investigation site, if available, or other suitable location to minimize interference with freeway traffic.
- If you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, report this to a law enforcement agency for investigation. The Texas Department of Insurance advises that your uninsured motorist coverage will pay for your damage in hit-and-run accidents, only if the accident is reported to the police.
Roadside Assistance
If you are in need of roadside assistance in the instance of a flat tire, car trouble, etc. the DPS has a toll free number for motorists to contract for non-emergency roadside assistance: 1-800-525-5555, which is printed on the back of most drivers’ licenses.
The toll-free line has been operated by DPS for several years for motorists reporting non-life-threatening situations on Texas roads and highways. The DPS then passes the information along to the appropriate local police agency or DPS office. However, in the event it is an emergency, we suggest you call 9-1-1.
Please be aware that the DPS does not send out a tow truck at the state’s expense. They will either come to assist you or refer you to the appropriate local law enforcement agency. If a tow truck is ultimately dispatched, the motorist is responsible for any costs incurred. Some cities and agencies do have courtesy patrols and roadside trucks to provide non-towing services and they may be dispatched by the local agencies when appropriate.
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