Germany’s roads are sometimes very busy. They are full of cars, cyclists and pedestrians and accidents occur every two minutes. Here are a few tips to remember if you are involved in an accident:

110 – Call the police and emergency services

Call the police ("Polizei") on the telephone number 110 if you have had an accident. You may be in shock and not know what to do. The police will help you.

If people are injured or there is major damage, you must call the police every time. You can reach the ambulance service and the fire brigade by calling 112. Give a brief description of what has happened on the phone and say if and how many people are injured; you must wait until the police have arrived. This usually takes only a few minutes. Make sure the accident site is secured so that no other accidents occur.

Beware: hit and run ("Fahrerflucht")

You should always inform the police, even if the damage is minor; if you damage another car while parking, for example, or scratch a car while riding a bike. If you drive or ride away without waiting for the owner of the damaged car, you are committing hit and run. This is a criminal offence with considerable consequences.