# Roadside breakdown and accident aftermath procedures in your country



## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

Suppose a car breaks down on a highway in your country...

What is the normal procedure to follow? Who normally provides towing services - road authority, insurance companies or else?

What if a not-very-serious accident (meaning: no police forensic investigation on the cars involved) - what is the aftermath procedure?


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## MichiH (Jan 5, 2013)

Germany: http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/adac-im-einsatz/pannenhilfe-notruf/ (just call 22 22 22 by cell phone).


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## admirer of sir ALEX (Dec 1, 2011)

Suburbanist said:


> Suppose a car breaks down on a highway in your country...
> 
> What is the normal procedure to follow? Who normally provides towing services - road authority, insurance companies or else?
> 
> What if a not-very-serious accident (meaning: no police forensic investigation on the cars involved) - what is the aftermath procedure?


I suppose that you mean on a broad aspect of all the activities, not only on towing services?

If the car broke down, then it includes; road patrol, traffic center and towing service.The traffic management center(TMC) calls road patrol that needs to put on hard shoulder (behind the vehicle) warning signs&safety equipment in order to protect the broke down car. Then the TMC calls the towing service (with which the highway company has the agreement). All the activities are time limited so the towing company has to send the closest towing car to the accident scene.

In case of an accident, it depends on severity of it. Generally the TMC calls or sends info to: police, towing service, road patrol, road inspection, fire fighters, medical staff, burial service, environmental protection service, emergency service 112.......


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## Autoputevi kao hobi (Jan 8, 2014)

In Serbia you just call 1987 (AMSS) and after some time they tow you're car.
After you report the accident to a police .


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## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

In the UK organisations like the AA and the RAC offer breakdown services, the AA and the RAC have their own vans, others like Green Flag use local services. 

In the event of a non-serious accident people exchange insurance details.


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

Suburbanist said:


> Suppose a car breaks down on a highway in your country...
> 
> What is the normal procedure to follow? Who normally provides towing services - road authority, insurance companies or else?


Towing is done by private companies having an agreement with insurance companies. In case of full insurance, the bill is sent directly to insurance company.



> What if a not-very-serious accident (meaning: no police forensic investigation on the cars involved) - what is the aftermath procedure?


The guilty one fills in the standard damage report and sends it to his/her insurance company. Many companies provide with a web interface for that. The insurance company responds with the authorization to bill code.

Typically, the car repair shop does all the paperwork. Those ones have an online access to insurance companies' system to check the insurance details and the authorization, as well as to upload photos of the damages. The insurance company pays the bill directly to the repair shop and the owner of the car pays the deductible (if any) to the repair shop.


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## admirer of sir ALEX (Dec 1, 2011)

MichiH said:


> Germany: http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/adac-im-einsatz/pannenhilfe-notruf/ (just call 22 22 22 by cell phone).


Is there any website on English, as many here do not know German?


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## admirer of sir ALEX (Dec 1, 2011)

Suburbanist said:


> Suppose a car breaks down on a highway in your country...
> 
> What is the normal procedure to follow? Who normally provides towing services - road authority, insurance companies or else?
> 
> What if a not-very-serious accident (meaning: no police forensic investigation on the cars involved) - what is the aftermath procedure?


It would be nice that you, for the beginning, explain the procedure in NL.


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## Penn's Woods (Apr 8, 2010)

MattiG said:


> Towing is done by private companies having an agreement with insurance companies. In case of full insurance, the bill is sent directly to insurance company.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How do you determine who's guilty? (I mean, yes, if the one who's at fault realizes it and admits it, that's great, but what if he or she doesn't, or if it's not clear?)


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## MattiG (Feb 11, 2011)

Penn's Woods said:


> How do you determine who's guilty? (I mean, yes, if the one who's at fault realizes it and admits it, that's great, but what if he or she doesn't, or if it's not clear?)


In most cases it is self evident. In non-clear cases, the insurance companies might present a proposal. In any case, the police can take a lead, and solve the case. If anyone disagrees, the case proceeds to the court of justice.

In case of full insurance, the vehicle can be repaired immediately regardless who is the guilty one. The deductible will be refunded afterwards when applicable.


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## John Maynard (Oct 1, 2013)

Always had a full casco insurance with worldwide assistance, so never worried about this.

I had 3-4 breakdowns with different cars, and called directly the insurance company: they provided fast towing with deposit were I wished, taxi service, return plane and train tickets (when I was abroad), replacement car and reparations. I never had to pay anything as they took care of everything .

To anyone, I strongly recommend to take a good world-widely renowned and full insurance, so you won't have to care of anything, except of driving to your destination.


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## Kanadzie (Jan 3, 2014)

When the snowplow comes, it pushes the wrecked car and bodies into the ditch, in the spring when the snow has melted then we deal with it


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