Accident in Germany? [2024] - Navigate Germany

According to studies, there is an accident in Germany every 12 seconds. According to another study, around 7000 car accidents happen every 24 hours. Vehicle sheet is damaged in most accidents. If you are on the German roads, you must know the rules during an accident in Germany. This guide will explain about road accidents and will guide you where you need to place your broken vehicle and who is going to bear the loss.

What to Do After An Accident in Germany?

Here are the key steps to take during or after an accident in Germany to minimize loss or risk.

Call an Emergency Service

Call the emergency service for help immediately. You will find a lot of emergency orange boxes or SOS telephones in Germany from where you can make an emergency call for free.

Do Not Sign Any Paper

Do not sign any paper if you do not know about those papers. Whatever you are doing, you must be careful. If the liability is disputed and the matter is not resolved, you can ask the Association for Helping Accident Victims to resolve it.

Report the Accident

Report the accident before leaving the accident location. Do not go near the accident place without informing the concerned authority to avoid fine and imprisonment. If liability is disputed and you do not report to the police, you might face legal issues, so call hotline number or an insurance provider to register the case with the insurance company officially.

Events to Report

Here are some events when you must contact the police;

• Drink and driving
• Disputed liability
• Person runs away after accident.
• Driving while using drug or alcohol
• More than two cars involved in an accident
• Foul play (road rage or provocation)

Share Your Information

Do not involve yourself in any legal issue by leaving the accident place without sharing your information such as name and phone number.

First Aid

It is always good to offer first aid to the injured person. Do not move the person if injury is huge or serious. You will find a lot of first aid courses held across Germany.

Warning Triangle

Place the warning triangle at least 150m away from the accident location on the right side of the road. This warning triangle is used to secure others and alerts the approaching traffic about the emergency.

Safety Vest

Everyone present at the accident location or helping the parties of an accident must wear a safety vest immediately.

Hazard Warning Lights

Do not forget to switch on the hazard warning lights right after an accident in Germany that are used to signal the other drivers driving through the accident location.

Accident Statement

You must fill out the accident statement carefully and opposite party should sign it. Opposite party or the driver must fill the information written at the end of the accident statement. Teh person can fill it in his own language as the insurance company will manage to read it. Information includes;

• Date and time
• Contact details of the parties involveda nd the witnesses
• Insurance deatils
• Details on the green card
• Confirmation of the injuries
• Explanation of the accident
• Details of damages
• Photographs for the legal proof or evidence to support your claims. (photos of the vehicle damaged, license plate, or skid marks.)
• Signatures of all drivers who caused an accident

Location Sharing with Emergency Service

It is very important to share the exact location with the emergency service. Share the road name or Autobahn number for example, A5. you can also share the exit points of the Autobahn which will help the emergency service reach out as early as possible. Exit points are written on the mileage signs on the right side of the road and are placed every half kilometer. SOS telephones are also available by arrows on white posts directing towards the nearest call box around 1.5 to 3 kilometers away. Then share your travel directions to give a better idea about your location.

Things to Remember

The procedure after an accident depends on several factors like injuries, property damages, or police cases. You must remember these things to deal with such situations in a safe way.

Emergency Numbers

Emergency call numbers are; - Police: 110.
- Fire brigade services: 112.
- Ambulance: 112.
- Minor accidents:
- Free emergency hotline of the German insurance providers: 0800 668 3663
- Hotline for car insurance providers: 0180 250 26 - Legal help or German lawyer hotline: 0900 1 875 000 10 (premium rate number).
- Roadside assistance or breakdown recovery: 0180 222 2222

Phone Without SIM Card

You cannot dial 112 if you do not have a sim card.

Accident on a Major Road

If an accident happens on a motorway, highway, or secondary road, look on the roadside for the arrows guiding people to the nearest emergency call numbers. These arrows are on the white delineator on the roadsides.

Children Must Stay Away

Children and older people must stay away from the accident location as they cannot offer the first aid. 

Public or Private Property

Do not go away if an accident happen on public or private property as it will be considered as a hit-and-run case which is punishable by German Law. Public or private property includes road signs, public or private buildings, sidewalks, streets, or types of equipment. Take photographs of the damaged property to avoid any inconvenience, and submit for legal proceedings if you need to. Contact the property owner or leave a note so the owner can contact you. If an accident ahppen with a parked vehicle, wait for the driver for at least 30 minutes or try to contact the driver or owner, take pictures, call the police or an insurance helpline, and leave a note.

Must To Have in a Car

Documents

You must have three documents with you, while traveling; 1. Green card (Grüne Versicherungskarte)
2. Protection Letter (Schutzbrief)
3. European accident statement (Europäischer Unfallbericht)

Green Card (Grüne Versicherungskarte)

It is an international certificate valid in 47 countries issued by your insurance provider. This document includes the information about your insurance company (name, contact, address, etc.), yourself, and your vehicle.

Protection Letter (Schutzbrief)

This letter offer an additional support to you during an accident as it includes vehicle breakdown assistance, spare parts shipping, towing service, or vehicle return transport. Protect your driving with this letter of protection.

European Accident Statement (Europäischer Unfallbericht)

The European level documents with copies in English and French helps you to recover your losses or damages quickly.

Items

List of essential items is;

• First aid box
• Reflective jacket or a safety vest
• Warning triangle
• Fire extinguisher (optional)

Get Your Auto Recovered

You will find suto recovery clubs or motoring clubs in Germany. Get membership and help yourself no matter if your vehicle have minor damage or a significant breakdown. In case of minor repairs, you can get repair services on the road, but a tow job will be offered in case of significant damage. These clubs also offer membership discounts occasionally, especially for students in Germany.

Make Your Claims

Get your claims automatically by taking proper feedback during claim process. Once you submit your case online, the insurance provider will contact you for further processing. You must also contact your insurance provider and ask to expedite the procedure.

Health and Vehicle Insurance

Both health and vehicle insurance is good to have in Germany to protect yourself from losses during an accident. Your health insurance provider will analyze the case to pay your medical bills. If you hurt someone during an accident, your vehicle insurance provider will pay for the injured person’s medical bills.

Conclusion

So, we hope this guide helped you prepare for any emergency situation while driving on the German roads. No matter if you are involved in an accident or you are just a witness, you must be clear about the German laws and thing to do after an accident. Have safe travel!