A road accident happens quickly. The number of road accidents in Germany has increased by almost 300,000 recorded by the police since 1991 of 2019. The number of traffic fatalities has dropped significantly from 11,300 to 3,046 in the same period. (Source: Federal Statistical Office)

In this article, we want to help you be prepared in the event of an accident with tips on how to behave properly in the event of a traffic accident.

Behaviour in the event of a case

Whether you are a participant in the accident, a witness to the traffic accident or want to provide first aid; before leaving your own vehicle, please be sure to put on the warning vest! This is for your own safety.

Attack the people involved in the accident one by one and clarify whether anyone is injured. If in doubt, call a doctor in addition to the police (110) and if you discover liquids, call the fire brigade (112). If you are going to give first aid, actively ask other road users for help!

What to do after a accident?

Please secure the accident site with the warning triangle.

Always tell the rescue teams of the fire brigade and the police the specific location; for federal roads and motorways you can give the kilometre marker, the next signposted exit. Also describe the situation at the scene – number of vehicles involved, injured, etc.

In Germany, it is mandatory to carry a first-aid kit (please check the expiry date) and a high-visibility waistcoat in the vehicle in addition to the warning triangle. Check the Saxons regularly and familiarise yourself with how your warning triangle works.

We recommend that you have a high-visibility waistcoat in your car for each occupant or passenger. In the event of a road accident, all passengers will then be able to leave the car and will be clearly seen. In addition, we recommend that you have a fire extinguisher or extinguishing spray in the car.

What is the next step?

If the vehicle is no longer roadworthy, the police usually call the towing service. Otherwise, there are usually local providers. If you have a protection cover in your insurance or if you are a member of a car club, towing is usually easier because you are not stuck with all the costs.

In the case of third-party liability damage, towing is also paid for by the opposing insurance company. Here you also have the free choice of workshop and assessor. To be on the safe side, we recommend that you consult a lawyer; if necessary, we can recommend a lawyer to you.

The KFZ Sachverständigenbüro Eric Lebelt is available as an expert to our customers, i.e. also to you, at any time with competence. We have a long-standing and reliable partner for any rental car that may be required.

On completion of the repair, the vehicle will be washed and vacuumed and you can take back your vehicle.

In the event of a comprehensive claim (without workshop commitment), call the insurance company’s claims hotline and report that your vehicle is in a workshop. In some cases, the insurance company may want the dealership to provide a calculation with pictures or may want to hire its own appraiser.