Car Accident in Germany: What Should You Do?

Had a car accident in Germany? Start with people's safety, not paperwork. Stop, warn other road users, check for injuries and call for help where needed.

Then record what happened and make sure you can be contacted. You do not have to work out who was legally at fault at the roadside.

This guide explains the steps in plain English including the German rules that can feel unfamiliar if you recently moved here.

What should you do immediately?

Stop as soon as it is safe and make the scene visible to other drivers. Switch on the hazard lights, put on a high-visibility vest before entering exposed traffic areas if it is safe to do so, and move yourself and passengers out of danger. On a motorway, go behind the barrier when possible rather than remaining beside moving traffic. Do not risk your safety to take photographs.

Check on everybody involved. If someone is injured, call 112 and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Give first aid to the extent you reasonably can without placing yourself in significant danger. Under German law, assistance at an accident is required where necessary and reasonable.

These rules apply even if your German is limited, your driving licence was issued abroad, or you were using a rental vehicle.

When should you call emergency services or police?

• Call 112 if anyone may need urgent medical assistance or there is a fire or rescue emergency.

• Call 110 if police assistance is needed—for example, because there is danger, a person is missing after causing damage, identification is disputed or you suspect an impaired driver. If uncertain about injuries, prioritise emergency medical help.

Give your location, how many people are involved and whether anyone is hurt; stay on the line for instructions.

Police do not necessarily attend every minor bump where everyone is safe and contact details can be exchanged.

If they do attend, ask for the incident reference number (Aktenzeichen) when available; it helps you identify the event in later correspondence.

Are you allowed to move your car?

Yes. For a collision involving only minor damage, German road rules require those involved to move aside promptly, where safe.

This helps avoid another crash or unnecessary obstruction. For a serious collision or injury, make safety and emergency directions the priority, and avoid disturbing important traces unless necessary to protect people.

You can document vehicle positions afterwards with a simple sketch showing lanes, direction of travel and where the cars came to rest.

What information must you exchange?

Tell the other people involved that you were part of the accident and, on request, give your name and address and show your driving licence and vehicle registration. Provide the available liability-insurance information to the best of your knowledge. You do not need to decide who owes whom money at the scene.

Keep a photo or copy of anything you sign. If the other person asks you to accept responsibility or agree on cash payment immediately, you can politely say you first need to report the incident and review the facts.

What if you hit a parked car?

Stop and try to find the owner. If nobody is available, you must wait for a period appropriate to the circumstances, and if you later leave in a way the law permits, you must promptly enable the necessary identification afterwards. A note under the windscreen wiper is not sufficient on its own.

The law distinguishes waiting at the scene from the follow-up duties that can arise after permitted departure. If you have already driven away and are concerned, seek qualified legal advice promptly rather than assuming that a later message automatically resolves the matter.

Do you have to answer police questions?

You must provide the accident-related identifying information required by law. But that is different from admitting that you caused an offence. If police question you as a suspect in criminal proceedings, you have a right not to make a statement about the accusation and to consult a lawyer.

If you are injured, shocked or unsure of the wording, you can calmly ask which capacity you are being questioned in. A useful sentence is: „Ich möchte mich zum Vorwurf derzeit nicht äußern und zunächst anwaltlichen Rat einholen.“ (“I do not wish to comment on the allegation at present and would first like legal advice.”)

What evidence should you collect?

Gather the facts that will help you explain what happened later. If the scene is safe, take overview pictures of the vehicles and road layout, close-ups of visible damage, road signs, markings, debris and weather conditions. Note the date, time and location. Ask witnesses whether they are willing to share contact details.

Do not move dangerous debris into your own path to photograph it. If you have a dashcam, preserve existing footage carefully and do not assume all recording or disclosure is automatically lawful.

Evidence helps insurers and, where necessary, lawyers compare the accounts. It cannot by itself guarantee who will be held legally responsible.

Who pays for the damage?

That depends on responsibility for the collision, the available evidence and the insurance contracts. In Germany, compulsory motor liability insurance generally addresses eligible claims by other people; optional comprehensive cover concerns damage to your own vehicle according to the policy. Even where both drivers contributed, costs can be allocated proportionally rather than by a simple all-or-nothing rule.

German vehicle-holder liability is addressed in § 7 StVG; where several vehicles contribute, § 17 StVG governs allocation in the situations it covers. The legal result is not always the same as a police officer’s first impression.

What if the vehicle is rented or foreign-plated?

The immediate duties after an accident are the same. If you are using a rental or privately used company car, notify the rental company or employer according to the agreement as well as the appropriate insurer. A separate handling fee, damage excess or reporting obligation may arise under that contract; it is not itself a traffic fine.

Save the vehicle registration, insurer information and any international insurance documentation you have. If a cross-border insurer is involved, ask for the claims route in writing.

What should you do next?

During the first day, save evidence, report the event promptly and keep a record of every conversation. If you are injured, seek medical attention and retain documents recording symptoms and treatment. Ask the insurer how it wants repair estimates or expert reports handled; a private expert is not automatically necessary for every minor claim.

To make your first insurer report easier, use the short German-language model below. It does not take the place of emergency or accident-scene obligations.

Conclusion

After a car accident in Germany, the priority is simple: keep people safe, fulfil your accident-scene duties and preserve reliable information. Do not let language uncertainty push you into signing a statement you do not understand or leaving before the necessary steps are complete. Report the incident promptly and seek individual advice when the consequences are more complicated than a minor insurance claim.