Accidents & Emergencies

110 = police. 112 = fire brigade and ambulance. Both work free of charge anywhere in Europe, even without phone credit or signal in some cases.

On an autobahn: use service areas or emergency call boxes. Find the nearest phone by following the black arrows on the roadside delineator posts — they point toward it.

The correct sequence is always: 1) secure the scene (hazard lights, warning triangle) → 2) give first aid → 3) call the rescue service.

On a rural road, set up the warning triangle in a clearly visible spot roughly 100 m before the scene.

In a tunnel: switch on hazard lights and use the SOS telephone; generally stay near your vehicle unless directed otherwise (use the emergency exit if there's a fire).

• Stop, establish what happened, secure the scene, and give aid to anyone injured.
• Show your driving licence and registration certificate (Part I) if requested — not necessarily your insurance contract.
• Damaged a parked car and the owner doesn't turn up after a reasonable wait? Leave a name-and-address note and report it to the police.
• Leaving the scene without doing this — even for minor damage — can mean a fine, imprisonment, and licence withdrawal or a driving ban.
• If the other vehicle has an orange hazmat plate and liquid is leaking: note the plate's number for your emergency call, and stay away from the leaking area.
• Minor accident, no injuries, police not needed: still worth photographing the scene from multiple angles and exchanging details.

Blue light + siren approaching: clear a path immediately — slow down, move to the right, and drive onto the pavement/sidewalk if necessary. Don't just brake hard and stop in place.

On a motorway or multi-lane road: form a rescue lane (an "alley") between lanes so emergency vehicles can pass.

Blue light alone, without a siren, still means give way — it can indicate an accident response, or a convoy being escorted.

Yellow/amber flashing light warns of danger ahead: roadworks, an accident scene, or an unusually wide, long, or slow-moving vehicle — approach with extra care.