Texas crash report codes (CR-3) explained
The Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3) uses numbered "code sheets." Injury severity is a letter (K fatal, A suspected serious, B suspected minor, C possible, N not injured), and contributing factors are numbers such as 20 (Driver Inattention) or 44 (Followed Too Closely), per TxDOT's CR-3 code sheet dated 4/1/2023 (TxDOT).
General information about Texas law, not legal advice. The author is not a lawyer. Laws change; check the linked sources and talk to a Texas lawyer about your situation.
Injury severity codes
| Code | Meaning (CR-3 code sheet) |
|---|---|
| K | Fatal Injury |
| A | Suspected Serious Injury |
| B | Suspected Minor Injury |
| C | Possible Injury |
| N | Not Injured |
| 99 | Unknown |
Texas crash report contributing factor codes
Box 38, "Factors and Conditions," lists numbered codes. A few common ones from the 4/1/2023 code sheet:
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 4 | Changed Lane when Unsafe |
| 16 | Disregard Stop Sign or Light |
| 19 | Distraction in Vehicle |
| 20 | Driver Inattention |
| 22 | Failed to Control Speed |
| 37 | Failed to Yield ROW - Turning Left |
| 40 | Fatigued or Asleep |
| 44 | Followed Too Closely |
| 45 | Had Been Drinking |
| 60 | Unsafe Speed |
| 61 | Speeding - (Over Limit) |
| 67 | Intoxicated - Alcohol |
| 71 | Wrong Way - One Way Road |
| 75 | Cell/Mobile Device Use - Texting |
The full list is on the official code sheet (form CR-3CS) on TxDOT's law enforcement forms page.
What a contributing factor is (and is not)
Contributing factors record the investigating officer's view of what contributed to the crash. TxDOT's instructions to police (form CR-100, 2025 edition) explain how officers select and describe them (CR-100). A factor is not a court's finding of fault. Fault in a lawsuit is decided under Chapter 33 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code (51 percent bar rule).
Also note Transportation Code Section 550.066: a person's response to the information requested under Section 550.064(b)(4) on a collision report "is not admissible evidence in a civil trial" (§550.066).
Frequently asked questions
What does injury code A mean on a Texas crash report?
On the CR-3 code sheet, A means Suspected Serious Injury. K is Fatal Injury, B is Suspected Minor Injury, C is Possible Injury and N is Not Injured.
What does contributing factor 20 mean on a Texas crash report?
On TxDOT's CR-3 code sheet dated 4/1/2023, factor code 20 is Driver Inattention.
Sources
- TxDOT: crash records forms for law enforcement (CR-3, CR-3CS code sheet) (checked October 18, 2026)
- TxDOT: CR-100 Instructions to Police for Reporting Crashes, 2025 edition (checked October 18, 2026)
- Tex. Transp. Code §550.066 (checked October 18, 2026)