Find a truck accident attorney in Austin, TX: what to save and which deadline is yours

Last checked November 8, 2026

After an 18-wheeler crash in Austin, ask right away that the company save its driver logs, which it must keep for only 6 months.1 Most injury suits are due within 2 years.2 If a City of Austin truck hit you, the city says your claim letter is due within 45 days.3

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Road map of Austin showing I-35, US 183 and Ben White, the high-speed roads Austin Police single out for serious crashes
Hit by a City of Austin truck? Your claim letter is due in 45 days. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How common are 18-wheeler crashes in Austin?

Travis County logged 648 commercial motor vehicle crashes in 2025, and 11 people died in them.4 The regional freight plan shows why those numbers stay high. It calls IH 35 the main freight road and the most used and congested in the area.5 An average of 43,000 truck trips enter and leave the region each day,6 and about one-third of them begin or end in Travis County.7

Austin Police also name I-35, US 183 and Ben White as high-speed roads where a large share of serious crashes happen.89 If you were hit on one of those roads, write down the direction you were going and the nearest exit. That detail helps when someone later asks for camera video or a report.

What trucking records should you ask for after an Austin wreck?

RecordFederal ruleWhat it can show
Driver hours logsKept at least 6 months1Whether the driver was past the legal limit
Hours limit11 hours of driving after 10 off, and none past 14 on the clock10The yardstick for those logs
Crash registerKept 3 years after each crash11A pattern of earlier wrecks
Alcohol testAs soon as the company can, after a deadly crash12Whether alcohol may have played a part

A truck accident attorney in Austin usually starts with a written demand telling the carrier to preserve all of this. You can help before that letter goes out. Photograph the cab door for the company name and DOT number, the trailer plate and any load markings.

Who writes the report for a truck wreck in Austin?

It depends on where the crash happened. Austin Police worked 10,312 crashes in 2025 and the Travis County Sheriff worked 3,138.1314 State troopers describe their own focus as rural highways.15 A crash with an injury or $1,000 in damage has to reach TxDOT within 10 days after an officer investigates it.16

Austin Police reports are sold through LexisNexis BuyCrash.17 For a Sheriff's report, go to 5555 Airport Blvd. on a weekday, or call Central Records at 512-854-9749.1819 Certified copies from TxDOT cost $8, and a certified copy is often what a court or insurer wants.20

What local rules apply to trucks on Austin streets?

  • Passing room: a copy of City Code 12-1-35 in city records says a truck passing a cyclist, walker or rider must leave at least six feet when road conditions allow.2122 Ask a lawyer to confirm the current wording.
  • Right turns: under that section, a driver may not pass one of those road users and then turn right across them unless safely clear.23
  • Hazardous loads: a 2021 ordinance tells carriers of non-radioactive hazardous materials to use the safest route and stay on the highest classified roads they can.24

We could not find a published list of city streets where big trucks are banned, so we do not name any here. A broken local rule does not prove fault on its own, but it is worth raising with the insurer.

What if a city garbage truck or crew truck hit you in Austin?

This is where Austin differs from most of Texas. State law gives six months for notice to a government,25 but Austin's claim page says 45 days.3 Missing it can excuse the city from paying at all.26 A May 2026 city document also says the notice must be notarized by affidavit.27 Staff proposed moving to 180 days, yet the page still says 45.28

Austin Police do respond when a City of Austin vehicle is involved, so ask for an officer.29 Send your notarized letter to the Law Department - Claims, P.O. Box 1546, Austin 78767-1546.30

How much insurance does a semi carry in Texas?

For-hire carriers hauling regular freight across state lines need at least $750,000 under federal rules.31 Certain bulk hazardous loads need $5 million.32 A regular Texas car policy, by contrast, starts at $30,000 per person.33 Trucks that stay inside Texas may fall under other limits, so find out who owned the rig and who hired the driver.

What should you ask an 18-wheeler accident lawyer in Austin?

  • When will the letter to save logs and truck data go out?
  • Could the shipper, loader or repair shop share the blame?
  • What happens to my claim if the insurer says I am more than 50% at fault?34
  • Was any government vehicle or road involved, so that the 45-day notice could apply?3

Questions

How long do I have to sue after a truck accident in Austin?

Generally 2 years.2 A claim against the City of Austin has a much shorter notice: 45 days, the city says.3

Which hospital treats serious truck crash injuries in Austin?

Dell Seton Medical Center is a Level I trauma center, and St. David's South Austin is Level II.3536

Can I sue in a Travis County court for a small truck claim?

Justice courts hear claims up to $20,000, and the county courts at law mainly hear cases from $500 to $250,000.3738

Who pays for my tow off I-35?

On roads in the TIMS program, a tow company may not charge you for moving the car to the nearest safe place.3940 Later storage or towing may cost money.

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Sources

  1. 49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)(1), checked 2026-11-08. “A motor carrier shall retain records of duty status and supporting documents required under this part for each of its drivers for a period of not less than 6 months from the date of receipt.”
  2. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  3. City of Austin, File a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “You must send this letter within 45 days of the incident.”
  4. TxDOT, 2025 Commercial Motor Vehicle Involved Crashes by County, checked 2026-11-08. “Travis 7 11 22 30 133 232 90 166 393 1,490 3 48 648”
  5. CAMPO Regional Freight Plan, Executive Summary, checked 2026-11-08. “IH 35 is the primary corridor for freight, as well as the most utilized and congested in the region.”
  6. CAMPO Regional Freight Plan, Executive Summary, checked 2026-11-08. “On average, 43,000 truck trips enter and leave the CAMPO region each day.”
  7. CAMPO Regional Freight Plan, Executive Summary, checked 2026-11-08. “Approximately one-third of these trips originate or end in Travis County”
  8. Austin Police, Traffic Enforcement presentation (April 2023), checked 2026-11-08. “significant portion of crashes, serious injury crashes, and fatalities occur”
  9. Austin Police, Traffic Enforcement presentation (April 2023), checked 2026-11-08. “I-35, US Hwy 183, Ben White”
  10. 49 C.F.R. § 395.3(a)(2)-(3), checked 2026-11-08. “(2) 14-hour period. A driver may not drive after a period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on-duty following 10 consecutive hours off-duty. (3) Driving time and interruptions of driving periods — (i) Driving time. A driver may drive a total of 11 hours during the period specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.”
  11. 49 C.F.R. § 390.15(b), checked 2026-11-08. “Motor carriers must maintain an accident register for 3 years after the date of each accident.”
  12. 49 C.F.R. § 382.303(a)(1), checked 2026-11-08. “As soon as practicable following an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle operating on a public road in commerce, each employer shall test for alcohol for each of its surviving drivers: (1) Who was performing safety-sensitive functions with respect to the vehicle, if the accident involved the loss of human life”
  13. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “AUSTIN PD 94 98 256 287 2,631 3,609 2,229 3,785 4,792 17,586 310 1,223 10,312”
  14. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “TRAVIS COUNTY SO 2 2 78 86 613 805 404 630 1,918 5,524 123 279 3,138”
  15. Texas DPS, Highway Patrol Overview, checked 2026-11-08. “responsible for general police traffic supervision, traffic, and criminal law enforcement on the rural highways of Texas”
  16. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than the tenth day after the date of the crash”
  17. City of Austin, Purchase an APD online crash report, checked 2026-11-08. “Purchase online crash reports for the Austin Police Department jurisdiction with LexisNexis”
  18. Travis County Sheriff, Vehicle Accident Report, checked 2026-11-08. “5555 Airport Blvd. Austin, TX, 78751 Monday - Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm”
  19. Travis County Sheriff, Vehicle Accident Report, checked 2026-11-08. “please call Central Records at 512-854-9749”
  20. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “$8 for a certified copy”
  21. City of Austin records, City Code § 12-1-35 Vulnerable Road Users, checked 2026-11-08. “six feet if the operator’s vehicle is a truck, other than a light truck, or a commercial motor vehicle”
  22. City of Austin records, City Code § 12-1-35 Vulnerable Road Users, checked 2026-11-08. “a person operating a motorcycle, moped, motor-driven cycle, or motor assisted scooter”
  23. City of Austin records, City Code § 12-1-35 Vulnerable Road Users, checked 2026-11-08. “subsequently make a right-hand turn in front of the vulnerable road user”
  24. City of Austin, Ordinance No. 20210902-039, checked 2026-11-08. “A carrier shall use the safest route available by the best use of the highest classified roadway”
  25. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  26. City of Austin, Staff charter recommendations with charter text (May 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “shall exonerate, excuse and exempt the city from any liability whatsoever”
  27. City of Austin, Staff charter recommendations with charter text (May 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “The current version of the charter requires claimants to give written notice of a claim notarized by affidavit.”
  28. City of Austin, Staff charter recommendations with charter text (May 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “staff proposes aligning the claim notice deadline with the 180-day deadline required under the Texas Tort Claims Act”
  29. Austin Police, Traffic Enforcement presentation (April 2023), checked 2026-11-08. “City of Austin vehicle is involved”
  30. City of Austin, File a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Austin Law Department - Claims P.O. Box 1546 Austin, TX 78767-1546”
  31. 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, checked 2026-11-08. “(1) For-hire (In interstate or foreign commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Property (nonhazardous) $750,000”
  32. 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, checked 2026-11-08. “(2) For-hire and Private (In interstate, foreign, or intrastate commerce, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds) Hazardous substances, as defined in 49 CFR 171.8, transported in bulk in cargo tanks, portable tanks, or hopper-type vehicles [...] 5,000,000”
  33. Tex. Transp. Code § 601.072(a-1), checked 2026-11-08. “(1) $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision; (2) $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one collision, subject to the amount provided by Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the persons; and (3) $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one collision.”
  34. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  35. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “DELL SETON MEDICAL CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 10/1/2028 O AUSTIN 78701”
  36. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “ST DAVIDS SOUTH AUSTIN MEDICAL CENTER 10/1/2028 O AUSTIN 78704”
  37. Travis County JP5, Filing a Lawsuit in Justice Court, checked 2026-11-08. “The claim can be for no more than $20,000”
  38. Travis County Clerk, Civil, checked 2026-11-08. “between $500.00 and $250,000.00”
  39. Austin Police, Traffic Incident Management Towing Program, checked 2026-11-08. “A towing company may not charge the vehicle owner/operator a fee for removing a vehicle from the right-of-way to the nearest place of safety.”
  40. Austin Police, Wrecker Enforcement, checked 2026-11-08. “The major roadways include, IH-35, MoPac Expressway, and Hwy 183 as part of our Rush Hour Zone program.”

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