How to Report a Car Accident in San Antonio

Texas law requires you to immediately stop your vehicle at the scene of a crash (Tex. Transp. Code § 550.021). If it is safe to do so, move your vehicle to the shoulder or out of traffic to prevent further collisions. Turn on your hazard lights. Check yourself and your passengers for injuries. Then check on the occupants of the other vehicle.

If anyone is injured — even if injuries appear minor — call 911 immediately. San Antonio Fire Department and EMS will respond. Do not attempt to move anyone who appears seriously injured unless they are in immediate danger (such as a vehicle fire). Stay on the line with the 911 dispatcher and follow their instructions.

If the crash involves only property damage and no injuries, you are still required to stop, exchange information, and report the crash if the damage appears to be $1,000 or more. Do not leave the scene until you have fulfilled all reporting obligations.

For crashes involving injuries or death, call 911. An SAPD officer, along with fire and EMS, will be dispatched to the scene. The officer will investigate the crash, interview witnesses, and file a CR-3 crash report with TxDOT.

For non-injury crashes, call the SAPD non-emergency line at (210) 207-7273. Depending on the severity and location of the crash, dispatch may send an officer to the scene, direct you to the nearest SAPD substation to file a report, or instruct you to file a report online. Response times for non-injury crashes vary — during busy periods, especially on I-35, Loop 410, or Loop 1604, you may wait longer for an officer.

If the crash occurred outside San Antonio city limits but within Bexar County, call the Bexar County Sheriff's Office at (210) 335-6000. If it occurred on a state highway, the Texas Department of Public Safety may respond. The investigating agency depends on the jurisdiction where the crash happened.

Texas law (Tex. Transp. Code § 550.023) requires drivers involved in a crash to exchange the following information: full name, address, and phone number; driver's license number and state of issuance; vehicle registration and license plate number; insurance company name and policy number. If the other driver is not the vehicle owner, get the owner's name and contact information as well.

Write down or photograph this information. Use your phone to take pictures of the other driver's license, insurance card, and license plate. Be polite but factual — do not admit fault or apologize at the scene. Anything you say can be used later in an insurance claim or lawsuit.

If the other driver refuses to provide information or leaves the scene, note their license plate number and vehicle description (color, make, model) and report the hit-and-run to SAPD immediately. Hit-and-run crashes involving injury are a felony in Texas.

While waiting for police or after exchanging information, document everything you can. Take photographs and video of all vehicles involved from multiple angles, showing the damage. Photograph the overall scene including the road, traffic signals, signs, lane markings, skid marks, debris, and weather conditions. Take close-up photos of any visible injuries you or your passengers have sustained.

Get the names and phone numbers of any witnesses. Witnesses often leave the scene quickly — ask for their contact information before they go. Note the time of day, lighting conditions, road surface (wet, dry, gravel), and anything else that may be relevant to how the crash happened.

This documentation becomes critical evidence for your insurance claim and any potential personal injury lawsuit. Police reports sometimes contain errors or omit details. Your own photographs and witness information provide an independent record of what happened.

The City of San Antonio allows online crash reporting for minor, non-injury accidents through sa.gov. This option is available when both drivers are present at the scene, no one is injured, all vehicles are drivable, no government property is damaged, and no driver is suspected of DWI.

To file online, visit the SAPD online reporting page at sa.gov/Directory/Departments/SAPD/Services/File-a-Police-Report. You will need the information you exchanged with the other driver, a description of the crash, and photographs if available. The online report generates a case number you can use for your insurance claim.

Even for minor crashes, filing a report is strongly recommended. Insurance companies often require a police report to process a claim. If injuries develop days or weeks later — which is common with soft tissue injuries, whiplash, and concussions — having a report on file documents the crash and supports your claim.

If an officer investigated your crash, they will file a CR-3 Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report with TxDOT. This report typically becomes available 7 to 10 business days after the crash. You can obtain a copy from the SAPD Records Office at 315 S. Santa Rosa, San Antonio, TX 78207, or online through the TxDOT CRIS portal at cris.dot.state.tx.us. The fee is $6.

The officer may issue citations at the scene or after the investigation. A citation is not a final determination of fault, but it is strong evidence for your personal injury claim. Even if no citation is issued, you can still pursue a claim if the other driver was negligent.

Contact your insurance company to report the crash as soon as possible — most policies require prompt notification. If you were injured, seek medical attention even if you feel fine at the scene. Some injuries, particularly to the neck, back, and brain, do not show symptoms until hours or days later. Medical records created soon after the crash directly link your injuries to the accident.

Leaving the scene of a crash is illegal in Texas. If the crash involves injury or death, leaving the scene is a felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine (Tex. Transp. Code § 550.021, Tex. Penal Code § 12.33-12.34). If the crash involves only property damage, leaving the scene is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine (Tex. Transp. Code § 550.022).

If you were the victim of a hit-and-run in San Antonio, report it to SAPD immediately. Provide any details you have — license plate number, vehicle description, direction of travel, and any witness information. Check nearby businesses for surveillance camera footage. Your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply if the hit-and-run driver is not found.

If you were injured in a San Antonio car accident and you have reported the crash, take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Texas's filing deadline for your specific claim, whether the circumstances of your crash support a personal injury case, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

Reporting the crash is the first step — understanding your legal options is the next. Our assessment is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to decide what comes next.