In our century of universal motorization, when in traffic jams sometimes you have to stand longer than drive, traffic accidents are nonetheless not uncommon. Whether the increased nervousness due to chronic ‘nikudaneuspevaniya’, or reckless, in spite of the congestion, still trying to slip.
RULES OF CONDUCT FOR ROAD TRAFFIC ACCESS
1. Always have with you in the car:
• Original rights.
• Vehicle registration certificate (Fahrzeugschein) – copy.
• Overseas: original green insurance card.
• A copy of your car insurance contract.
• Telephone numbers for urgent calling the special services, telephone numbers of all car insurance companies (if there is a hull insurance) and the telephone number of your lawyer.
• Pre-installed jackets for the driver and the passenger sitting next to him (recently obligatory in many European countries!).
• At any time there is a warning triangle at hand.
• Fully equipped and easily accessible first aid kit.
• Proven and fast fire extinguisher.
• European Emergency Protocol (which can be obtained, for example, from ADAC)
• Writing materials.
• A piece of chalk.
• Camera.
• Roulette (in the form of an inch ruler or tape).
2. Behavior in an accident
1) Save people and provide first aid if necessary.
2) Protect the scene of the accident (do not move cars from the scene of the accident if they do not pose a danger to other cars!)
3) If there are casualties, immediately call the rescue services on 112 and the police on 110 (who is calling (leave your contact phone), where and when the accident occurred, how many people were injured (description of injuries you noticed), the number of injured people and cars) .
4) Note the location of the car and the damage caused, i.e. take photos in the position of the collision of cars and the current state; photos of the entire emergency. For example, take a picture of the whole intersection, mark important parts you found (glass fragments or traces of braking) with chalk, draw an accident diagram, separate damages on vehicles, use a tape measure (to measure the distance to the ground), take a picture.
Marking: In the case of simple damages, the police in Germany either do not arrive at all, or very late, and if it arrives, it very often does not notice the damage. Therefore, it is better to take care of it yourself.
5) After collecting evidence, you must immediately release the scene.
6) Write down immediately all the contact details of the witnesses (names, addresses, phone numbers) before they disappear! If possible, record the testimony of witnesses and give this testimony to them for signature.
7) Write down the details of the other party to the accident (ask for a passport and rights), and write down the data on his car (vehicle data sheet (Fahrzeugschein), insurance data, in case of an accident with a foreigner, ask for a green insurance card).
Important: Every person involved in a traffic accident is obliged to give information about their personal data and vehicle data! However, no one is obliged to testify about what happened. Do not give evidence about the accident yourself, i.e. who is to blame for the accident (especially never plead guilty), etc. This rule applies even in cases where you intend to resolve all issues with the opposite party without a court, without connecting insurance companies. Since under the contract with your insurance company, you agree not to take any steps that prevent the possibility of protection.
Do not give in to police statements about guilt. The police often do not know who is to blame, because they did not see what happened! Therefore, it is recommended only in very rare and obvious cases to agree to pay the fine, because in this situation you admit your guilt again and thus, possibly, impede the protection of your insurance company. If in doubt, call your lawyer before that. If you want to resolve all issues relating to the accident, with the opposite party without notifying the insurance company, do it in writing and in two copies signed by both parties!
8) Fill out the European emergency protocol and, if possible, let the opposite party sign.
9) If your condition has deteriorated after an accident, immediately consult a doctor and ask him to record the consequences of the accident.
10) Immediately report the accident to your insurance company (and if you have CASCO insurance), if you do not intend to resolve all issues regarding the accident with another participant on your own. Please note: an accident report only may not be enough for your insurance agent. If in doubt, report the accident to the insurance companies of both parties. Do not forget that the fact of this urgent communication to the insurance company about the accident you will have to prove in the event of a conflict.
Tell your insurance company only that an accident has occurred and who participates in it.