The content of the article:
- Algorithm of actions
- What about the police
- Nowhere without a Green Card
- Rent nuances
- Simple guidelines
Every motorist who goes on a long trip in a personal vehicle, even in his thoughts, does not admit that he can get into an accident on the road. But it is one thing to become a participant in an emergency on the territory of the country in which you live, and quite another to face troubles abroad. After all, Russian laws do not apply there, and the existing insurance does not guarantee that the owner of the car will receive monetary compensation. Not to mention the human factor.
A foreign road policeman is more likely to take the side of his fellow countryman, rather than help a stranger.
In short, there are many nuances. So, before going abroad in your own car, you need to foresee everything. The measures taken will allow the auto traveler to prepare for possible troubles.
So, how should a Russian driver behave if he is unlucky enough to get into an accident on the territory of one of the countries of the European Union?
Here you should immediately take into account one nuance. Usually, Russians visit foreign countries by private car, which is insured with the Green Card. But there are also some drivers who prefer to rent a car on the spot. In the latter case, the car enthusiast may face serious problems. But first things first.
Algorithm of actions
If a Russian is involved in an accident abroad, then he must follow the following recommendations:
- make a stop;
- turn on the emergency gang;
- put up a special warning triangle.
However, some problems may arise with the execution of the last point. The fact is that in different countries this sign is required to be displayed at different distances from the accident site. For example, in Russia, it must be installed 15 meters from the car within the settlement, and 30 meters outside the ring road. But in the EU, depending on the country, this figure is on average 50 and 100 m. Respectively.
It should also be borne in mind that in some EU countries there is a rule according to which the driver of a car in an accident cannot leave the passenger compartment without a special vest with reflective stripes. For this reason, Russian motorists who are going to visit one of the EU member states must get this piece of workwear in advance.
Of course, there is a clause in the rules that motorists should follow unquestioningly, regardless of the country where they find themselves. Namely - each driver is obliged to provide first aid to the victim in an accident. For these purposes, the generally accepted European standard provides for a short telephone number 112.
What about the police?
In the event of an accident, there is no need to call representatives of law enforcement agencies in the EU countries only under two conditions. One of them provides for the absence of casualties as a result of the accident. The second is that the perpetrator of the road accident managed to negotiate with other participants in the emergency.
It is noteworthy that the participants in an accident in the EU can only amicably disperse if they have found a compromise. In short, they should find a common language and agree on the amount that is due for material and moral damage.
As for other cases, it is impossible to do without the participation of the police.
Of course, law enforcement officers will be biased towards a citizen of the Russian Federation, so domestic drivers should be patient and strictly follow the letter of the law.
If the law enforcement officers have already been summoned to the scene of the accident, the driver should not while away the time listening to the radio or just sleeping - he can spend this time usefully. For example, it will not hurt him to photograph the scene from different angles. Also, fragments of side windows, flying off elements of the body, which are scattered along the roadway, should get into the frame. Perhaps these photos will be required in court.
At the same time, it is necessary to collect information about other participants in the accident. In particular, a Russian motorist should ask them for the following information:
- Full name, contact phone number and passport data;
- car number, its brand;
- name of the insurance policy.
Nowhere without a Green Card
You cannot go on a trip to the EU in your own car without issuing certain documents. Namely, you will have to buy a "Green Card", a compulsory insurance, without which there is nowhere in Europe. As a rule, it is completed with tear-off coupons - in the event of an accident, they must be provided to other participants in the traffic accident. If the motorist does not have such coupons, then he is obliged to inform the drivers of the insurance card number and tell them the contact phone number, the address of the Green Card representative office of the country where the accident occurred.
After becoming a participant in an accident, the driver must fill out an Accident statement. This document must be available to all motorists who are in the EU. Moreover, this form must be filled out by all participants in the traffic accident. As a result, each of them will have a corresponding copy in their hands.
The Accident statement form is filled out with a ballpoint pen filled with dark ink - that is, it is allowed to write only in blue or black. Do not forget to domestic motorists and the fact that they have the right to draw up a form in Russian, but in Latin transcription.
In the process of filling out the form, you should not skip individual points. So, in paragraph "10" it is necessary to mark the place and trajectory of the initial strike. In "13" the driver should outline a rough diagram of the accident that took place. There is no need to rush. When the form is completed, the driver needs to put his signature under it and transfer the document for approval to other motorists.
Accident statement, which will be signed by all participants in the accident, will be sent by mail to the insurer - the company that provided the car traveler with the Green Card. She must receive this form within 15 days from the moment of the road traffic incident.
Rent nuances
However, all of the above actions and recommendations are relevant only for those motorists who go on a European tour in their own car. But what about those who prefer to rent a vehicle upon arrival in the EU?
Of course, in the event of an accident, their initial actions will not differ from those that the owner of a car with Russian license plates must perform. That is, they must call 112, draw up the necessary documents, etc.
The only additional point that drivers who have rented a car must complete is that they must contact one of the representatives of the car rental company.
At the same time, it is necessary to notify him about the accident before the vehicle involved in the accident is evacuated and sent for repair.
Of course, motorists need to take care in advance that the necessary phones are at hand at a critical moment. Otherwise, a driver who has been involved in an accident abroad runs the risk of being left alone with his problem.
Simple guidelines
A car enthusiast who has become a participant in an accident abroad must follow 3 simple recommendations that will save him from unforeseen expenses and unnecessary hassle:
- do not put a signature under those documents that contain incomprehensible, dubious information;
- do not admit guilt at the scene of the accident;
- not agree to be towed by one of the participants in the accident (entrust the evacuation of the car only to official towing vehicles).
But be that as it may, before a long trip to another country, you must take all the precautions. In particular, you will need to collect not only certain documents, but also acquire a special vest. Of course, by themselves, they will not save the driver from an accident, but in the event of an emergency they will greatly simplify his life.
