What should you do after a car accident in Romania?

1. Get yourself safe

• Turn off the engine and put the hazard lights on.
• Put the reflective vest on before you get out, especially at night or on a main road.
• Place the warning triangles far enough back for oncoming drivers to see you in time.

2. Call the police (112) if

• Anyone is hurt, even slightly.
• The other driver leaves the scene or refuses to give you their details.
• You think they have been drinking or have no licence.

3. Take photos before moving anything

• Both cars, from a distance, so it is clear how they ended up in relation to each other.
• Each dent and scratch, from up close.
• The number plates, the road markings, the signs nearby.
• The other driver's registration, licence and insurance policy — a photo beats a note.

4. The joint accident report

• It can only be used if exactly two vehicles are involved, both insured, nobody is hurt (damage to property only), and you both sign it.
• You get the form from your insurer — ask for it now and keep it in the car, not on the day of the accident.
• It is filled in on the spot, in two copies, and signed by both. Never sign something you have not read.
• If you fill it in properly, you don't need to go to the police.
• If you can't agree and don't fill in the joint report: move the cars off the road and go to the police station for that area within 24 hours.

5. Tell your insurer

• The phone number is on your policy. Call while you are still at the scene, if you can.
• For your compulsory insurance (RCA), the law requires you to notify your insurer within 5 working days of the accident. For comprehensive cover (CASCO), the deadline is the one in your policy.
• Don't accept cash on the spot with nothing in writing. Damage always looks smaller than it is.

Get ready now

Do this today, not then: keep the vest, the triangles, the first-aid kit and a blank joint report form in the car. And photograph your insurance policy, so you have it on your phone.

What you need

• RCA — mandatory car insuranceWhat you need for RCA car insurance in Romania

More guides

• Expired RCA insurance: what happens?
• Driving abroad from Romania: which documents do you need?