Crash checklist · Crash Steps

At the scene

These marks mean you did the step. They do not report anything to police or an insurer.

Safety stepCalled 911 if anyone might be hurt, traffic was dangerous, or I was not sure.Safety step. 911 is the emergency number HPD and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office both publish.
StatuteMoved drivable vehicles out of freeway lanes when the statute’s freeway rule applied and moving was safe.Texas Transportation Code § 550.022(b) is a legal duty in a defined freeway situation. It is not a reason to push a wreck into traffic.
Safety stepIf the car would not move safely, stayed out of the travel lanes and, when the city’s freeway guidance fit, stayed belted inside.Safety step drawn from City of Houston Tow and Go motorist guidance for a vehicle that will not operate. It is not medical clearance.
Safety stepTurned on hazard lights if I could do that without standing in a lane.Safety step. Not a statute quoted on this site.
Safety stepDid not chase another vehicle or stand in a lane to argue.Safety step. The hit-and-run page explains the other driver’s legal duty to stop.

Section 550.023 applies to collisions it covers. This checklist does not decide whether your crash is one of them.

StatuteGave my name, address, vehicle registration number, and the name of my liability insurer to a person the statute names, once it was safe.This is the exchange described in § 550.023(1), not a script for what else to say.
StatuteShowed my driver license if someone the statute names asked and I had it with me.Section 550.023(2) says “if requested and available.”
StatuteIf I struck an unattended vehicle, found the owner or left a written notice in a plainly visible place.Section 550.024. Mailing nothing to this website.
StatuteIf I struck highway property only, took reasonable steps to notify the owner or person in charge.Section 550.025. “Reasonable steps” is the statute’s phrase, not a definition supplied here.

Do these in your own phone, camera, or notebook. This site has nowhere to upload them.

Practical stepPhotographed vehicles, plates, debris, signals, and the road from a safe place.Practical step. If cars had to be moved off a freeway, safety and the statute come before a perfect photo.
Practical stepPhotographed insurance cards that were shown to me, for my own records.TDI’s auto guide suggests a photo of the other card so the insurer’s name is not remembered wrong.
Practical stepWrote down witness names only when people chose to give them, and kept that list off this site.Practical step. Nobody is required by this website to talk to you.
Practical stepNoted time, place, weather, and direction of travel in my own notes.Practical step. Those details are not stored in the checklist.

A Houston mailing address does not decide which department investigates.

Practical stepIdentified whether the crash spot is inside the City of Houston, inside another city, or in unincorporated county area.See the Who to call page. The crash location matters.
StatuteGave notice when § 550.026 required it: injury or death, or a vehicle that could not be normally and safely driven.Inside a city, the statute says the local police department. The edge of a city and rural roads use different recipients, explained on the First hour page.

None of these boxes files a claim or requests a report.

Practical stepIf an officer investigated, I used that agency’s current instructions to ask for the report later.HPD, TxDOT, and the HPD request form do not publish the same wait time. The Crash reports page shows the conflict.
Practical stepIf a city tow took the car, I asked for the tow slip and looked up the car only on the city’s published tool.HPD points people to findmytowedcar.com. This guide does not look up plates.
Practical stepTold my own insurer about the crash and asked which of my coverages might apply.TDI says to tell your company even if another driver’s company may pay. Your policy can have its own notice deadline.
Practical stepRead my declarations page for liability, collision, PIP or medical payments, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.Practical step. Minimum 30/60/25 liability limits do not describe what your policy actually contains.
Practical stepKept medical and repair receipts in my own files.TDI’s claim tips say to keep receipts. Do not send them to this site.

Empty boxes for a pen. This copy is not saved. Marks in the interactive list above stay in this browser only.

Safety step. Called 911 if anyone might be hurt, traffic was dangerous, or I was not sure.
Statute. Moved drivable vehicles out of freeway lanes when the statute’s freeway rule applied and moving was safe.
Safety step. If the car would not move safely, stayed out of the travel lanes and, when the city’s freeway guidance fit, stayed belted inside.
Safety step. Turned on hazard lights if I could do that without standing in a lane.
Safety step. Did not chase another vehicle or stand in a lane to argue.

Statute. Gave my name, address, vehicle registration number, and the name of my liability insurer to a person the statute names, once it was safe.
Statute. Showed my driver license if someone the statute names asked and I had it with me.
Statute. If I struck an unattended vehicle, found the owner or left a written notice in a plainly visible place.
Statute. If I struck highway property only, took reasonable steps to notify the owner or person in charge.

Practical step. Photographed vehicles, plates, debris, signals, and the road from a safe place.
Practical step. Photographed insurance cards that were shown to me, for my own records.
Practical step. Wrote down witness names only when people chose to give them, and kept that list off this site.
Practical step. Noted time, place, weather, and direction of travel in my own notes.

Practical step. Identified whether the crash spot is inside the City of Houston, inside another city, or in unincorporated county area.
Statute. Gave notice when § 550.026 required it: injury or death, or a vehicle that could not be normally and safely driven.

Practical step. If an officer investigated, I used that agency’s current instructions to ask for the report later.
Practical step. If a city tow took the car, I asked for the tow slip and looked up the car only on the city’s published tool.
Practical step. Told my own insurer about the crash and asked which of my coverages might apply.
Practical step. Read my declarations page for liability, collision, PIP or medical payments, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Practical step. Kept medical and repair receipts in my own files.

Safety step. Got emergency care, or called 911, for danger signs instead of waiting to see what a claim required.
Safety step. Contacted a clinician if symptoms continued or appeared later.