First step: What to do immediately after a traffic accident?
When you happen to be a person involved in an accident, it's always crucial to stay on the spot, not drive away, and keep calm.
If the accident happened without the presence of the other road user (you scratched someone's car in the parking lot), in that case, call the police, who have the opportunity to contact the injured person.
If you witness an accident while driving, you should also stop the vehicle - you can not only help the road user and the police with onward legal proceedings but also save a life.
1. Stop and apply the handbrake. Always, even with a minor bash in the parking lot, or if you find yourself in the role of a witness of a car accident or drive past a car that crashed into, for example, a guardrail or a wall - the driver could be injured.
2. Turn on the hazard warning lights and turn off the engine. The lights alert other drivers before you take further action. Turning off the engine of the vehicles of all road users in the accident will prevent a possible fire.
3. Put on a high-visibility vest. Only then start moving around the vehicle, e.g. helping your passengers get out safely and taking them to safety over the roadside.
4. Check the condition of those involved in the accident. If they are conscious, ask every one of them if they can feel any pain, can move, and feel so-called "OK". They may be in shock - try to keep them calm and safe.
5. Call the emergency medical service immediately if you have any doubts regarding the health status of those involved in an accident - even as a preventive measure, and even if "it's probably nothing serious" and you "don't want to bother the paramedics".
6. Give first aid if necessary. But always do so only after calling the emergency services and describing the situation to the ambulance dispatcher. Ask other participants or witnesses for help.
7. Place a warning triangle - on the edge of the road, at a distance of about 50m behind the accident site (in practice, this means about 75 steps).
What’s next: When to call the police in the event of an accident and what (not) to sign
You don't have to call the police for every traffic accident. This will save you time and maybe even nerves - on the other hand, calling the police can resolve disagreements and ambiguities that can sometimes only arise additionally. Above all, in the case of larger damages, there is a risk you will come home in peace after an agreement, and then you will receive a call from the lawyer of the injured party, who has changed his mind, or someone has given him good advice... It is necessary to call the police after an accident in the following cases:
- Whenever you are not sure or are unable to reach a mutual agreement with the other participants. Or also when the participants are in shock or such a state of mind that they "don't know what to do".
- When a third person, private or public property (parked vehicle, road sign, fence of a private house, etc.) is involved in the accident.
- When it‘s not possible to determine with certainty who caused the accident. (This will avoid possible subsequent problems.)
- When someone is injured or killed, or an injury is suspected after an accident.
- The amount of damage to one vehicle exceeds CZK 100,000. It is often not easy to estimate, but you don't have to worry that a bad estimate will affect the insurance claim - if the damage is higher as a result, the insurance company will cover the damage in full.
- When the operating fluids, especially fuel, will leak.
- When after the accident, you are not able to secure the passability of the road (e.g. even if you do not agree to take pictures of the situation and park the vehicles at the roadside).
- If it is not possible to identify the participant in the accident - he does not have a driving license or ID card - or if the damage was caused by an unknown perpetrator (or, for example, a vandal).
Tip: You don't have to sign the police report right away - if you don't agree with its wording, include your statement about the accident. In the event of an accident abroad, only sign a text that you fully understand.
Solving accidents without the police. How to proceed?
In the case of minor traffic accidents, where any injury to health can be completely excluded, and where none of the above-mentioned situations have occurred, the most convenient option for all participants is to resolve everything by agreement. In minor accidents, it is often immediately clear who is at fault. Don't try to blame anyone, and if you can't identify the culprit, call the police instead. Also, don't hesitate to call your insurance company's helpline immediately after the agreement with the other party - it is there to help you solve such situations. If you don't know how to proceed (or you do, but you want to make sure), the insurance operator will advise you on how to proceed exactly. The basis is to write everything down in detail, take photos, exchange contacts, and then report the insured event to the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident.
Tip: Have the guilty party write and sign a guilty plea in the traffic accident statement.
Always carry the Traffic Accident Statement form with you in your car. You received it at the branch of the insurance company when arranging the accident, or you can request it at any branch. You can also download it from the Internet - but then it won't be a carbonless paper and you'll have to fill everything in twice. It will save you time if you have information about yourself and your vehicle pre-filled in the form in case of an accident.
If you do not have the Traffic Accident Statement with you, the other party may have it or you can ask the witness. The logo of the insurance company does not matter - the main thing is the accuracy of the stated data. If you cannot find the form, write down as much information as possible about the accident and the participants on a piece of paper (in two copies) and sign both parties. (You can find a form on the Internet and copy data according to it.)
Tip: "Mini-accidents", such as scratched paint or a slightly dented buffer, can be solved without an insurance company - for example, if you want to repair the damage yourself, leave it alone, or if you have an idea of how much the repair will cost, you can mutually agree on compensation (whether agree on let it be or a agree on paying a certain amount of money). If both drivers agree to this solution and the cars are their property, it‘s not a problem. But remember that all other responsibility is yours and the insurance company will then no longer help you.
Written down. What next after a car accident?
If the vehicle is immobile, it needs to be towed - most larger and authorized service centers have a contract with other insurance companies. Call the assistance service of your insurance company (you can find the number on the "green card"). You can also call 1224 (the so-called Helpline for drivers, a common number of the Office of Insurers), whose operator will advise you or connect you to your insurance company.
The vehicle will be towed to the nearest car service (or directly to your insurer's car service - depending on the type of your supplementary insurance). If you do not have supplementary insurance, apply for towing for a fee via line 1224. If you have a newer car, we recommend towing to a contracted service of the insurance company that will cover the damage, ideally to an authorized service for your car brand.
Tip: Watch out for accident hunters! Very often it happens that people miraculously appear quickly at the scene of your accident and promise to take care of everything for you. Most of the time they will do it - but for you, it will mean uncertain dealings and also extra money that the insurance company will not want to reimburse. (It can even be the full price of the repair.) Therefore, never sign anything from anyone you did not invite to the accident yourself.
Now all that remains is to report the damage. If you are at fault, report the accident to the insurance company with which you have third-party insurance. Otherwise, wait for the at-fault party's insurance company to contact you. It should be within three days. If this does not happen, check whether the culprit has really reported the damage, or call his insurance company directly. If in doubt, contact your insurance agent for advice. In the case of using a contractual service, the insurance company will take care of the repair and its payment for you.
Dealing with a BeRider scooter accident
If happen to be involved in a traffic accident with a rented scooter, proceed in the same way as described above:
- Park the scooter off the road and put it on the stand.
- Put on the high-visibility vest, which can be found in the trunk of every scooter. Then only start moving around the vehicle, e.g. helping your passengers get out safely and taking them to safety behind the roadside.
- Check the conditions of those involved in the accident. If they are conscious, ask everyone if they are in pain, can move, and feel "OK". They could be shocked – try to calm them down and make them feel safe.
- Call the emergency services immediately in case of any doubts about the health status of the accident participants - also as a precaution, and also in the case that "it probably won't be anything serious" and you "don't want to annoy the paramedics".
- Provide First Aid if needed. But always only after calling the emergency services and describing the situation to the dispatcher. Ask other participants or witnesses for help.
- In each suitcase you will also find a first aid kit with basic first aid supplies.
Simply - check whether no one is injured, or call for help and secure the scene of the accident. In the trunk of the scooter, you will find a document with precise instructions and a Traffic Accident Statement. Whether you are at fault or just a participant in an accident on the BeRider scooter, call our +420 720 627 505 line as soon as possible - we will help you solve everything.
When an accident with BeRider occurs outside customer support service working hours
If you will settle the accident by agreement only "through the insurance company", the following documents must be sent to info@be-rider.com within 24 hours of the accident: A completed Traffic Accident Statement with the name of the person at fault, a copy of your driver's license and the name of the service center, which will repair the scooter. It will always be BeRider Services, s.r.o. If the police are called to the scene of the accident, then send the completed report of the Police of the Czech Republic, a copy of the driver's license, and the name of the service center. In both cases, it is necessary to prove that the provider was directly responsible for the accident.
Traffic accidents caused by BeRider users are covered by the operator's insurance company with a deductible of 5% of the amount of damage (minimum CZK 5,000). So, if you were at fault in the accident, you don't have to worry about paying any large amount. Cases of damage caused by intentional or negligent actions that violate our General Terms and Conditions are another matter. In the event of such behavior, you act only at your responsibility, and the insurance company may refuse to pay for damages incurred in this way.
Tip: For the full wording of BeRider shared scooter accident and liability solutions, please refer to our general terms and conditions
Always remember to drive carefully, keep focus and follow the rules. Never lend the borrowed scooter to third parties, do not use it for purposes for which it is not intended, and treat the vehicle with respect and be considerate to the other users. And if something happens, don't be afraid to call - we won't leave you alone and will always help you.