Do I need to call the traffic police in case of a minor accident?

What to do in case of a minor accident

With the increase in the number of cars on our roads, the number of accidents has increased in direct proportion, which, in turn, has led to the fact that at times traffic police officers simply cannot quickly go to the scene of an accident and sometimes they have to wait from half an hour to an hour. Today, it is customary to approach this situation more practically, and if we are talking about a minor accident, then drivers are recommended to resolve the conflict on their own, without calling the traffic police. This practice has long been used on roads in European countries, and is now being actively implemented here, but drivers must remember one nuance:

if we are talking about a minor accident without casualties, then they can resort to this practice;
If there are injuries as a result of a traffic accident, then calling the traffic police is mandatory.

Important! If you are handling your own case involving a minor accident, you should remember that:

All cases involving minor road accidents are unique and individual.
Understanding the basics of the law is useful, but does not guarantee results.
The possibility of a positive outcome depends on many factors.

To get the most detailed advice on your issue, you just need to follow any of the suggested options:

Request a consultation via the form .
Use the online chat in the lower right corner.
Call:
- ☎ Federal number: 8 (800) 500-27-29 ext. 844

What incident can be considered minor?

A traffic accident can be considered minor or insignificant only if several circumstances coincide:

only two vehicles were involved in the accident;
there are no injured people (neither among pedestrians nor among those in the car);
no damage was caused to the property of third parties;
the cars were moving at a low speed, which led to minor damage (small dents, broken mirrors, scratches on the body, scrapes of the paintwork);
the amount required to restore the car should not exceed 50 thousand rubles.

First actions immediately after a collision

In the event of an accident, the driver must stop immediately and secure the car with the hand brake. Be sure to turn on the hazard warning lights, and if visibility is poor, put up the appropriate sign (you can do without it only in small accidents and good visibility, but the “hazard lights” are definitely turned on).

Next, you need to quickly assess the situation and determine whether it is worth calling certain teams (ambulance, traffic police) or whether the event can be classified as “minor” and resolved without traffic police. Participants consider the situation independently and make a mutual decision on how to proceed.

Important! Be sure to write down information about eyewitnesses to the collision and their contact information.

Compensation for damage in a minor accident without contacting the traffic police

If the culprit is identified, and he is clearly aware of this, but for some reason does not have a compulsory motor liability insurance policy, then most often the issue is resolved with monetary compensation right at the scene of the incident. It also happens that drivers agree to compensate the person responsible for the accident for damages, for which they drive up to the nearest service station, where a corresponding assessment is carried out.

Even with such a simple and peaceful solution to the issue, a receipt for damages must be written in case of an accident. It protects both parties, but only if it is drawn up correctly, from a legal point of view, so when writing it, it is recommended to consult a lawyer.

Registration of a minor accident without contacting the traffic police if both cars are insured

Another situation: what to do in case of a minor accident if both drivers have a valid MTPL policy. In this case, you can draw up a Europrotocol (but if both participants agree on the circumstances of the incident) and receive compensation for damage from the insurance company. The driver only needs:

fill out the Notice that is attached to the insurance policy;
information about both participants in the collision is entered into the document (in columns “A” and “B”), and it does not matter at all on whose form the entries are made (the culprit or the victim);
Both the front and back sides should be filled in;
draw up an accident diagram;
information should be entered clearly and concisely, but correctly describing the damage and circumstances of the accident;
At the end, the signatures of the event participants who compiled the document must be placed.

The victim will have to contact the insurance company within five days, write an application for insurance payments and, at the appointed time, provide the insurers with a car for an examination of the damage after the accident.

Interesting! Some MTPL policies are issued with additional services offered by the insurance company. For example, an emergency commissioner’s visit to the accident site and assistance in assessing the situation and damage. You can also invite your car law lawyer.

Fine for calling the traffic police to the scene of an accident and when you should not be afraid of it

With the introduction of European practice, fines began to be applied for calling the traffic police in a minor accident, for example, if glass was damaged as a result of a minor collision (an insignificant problem that drivers can fix on their own). Today, the amount of such a fine is 1,000 rubles, despite frequently voiced proposals from certain structures about the need to increase them.

At the same time, you should not be afraid of imposing a fine for calling the traffic police to the scene of an accident in cases where:

the person responsible for the traffic accident left the scene of the accident;
participants in the accident have radically different views on the incident and the guilt of any of them in the collision;
there is a suspicion that the culprit is inappropriate or intoxicated.

Legal assistance in minor traffic accidents

Each accident is an individual event, implying different subsequent actions, and even with a minor event, a number of nuances must be taken into account. Therefore, if you find yourself in this situation, it is best to immediately seek advice from a lawyer who understands auto law issues and can advise you on what the right thing to do is. Both the victim and the perpetrator need legal assistance.

Fine for calling the traffic police in a minor accident

According to traffic rules, motorists involved in an accident are required to call an ambulance and the fire service (if there are victims), as well as traffic police officers to the scene. Exceptions are minor accidents in which minimal damage to property is caused. Recently, registration of an accident without damage to cars is carried out in a special manner, without the involvement of the road inspection, and drivers are fined for calling the traffic police.

We will tell you below what the amount of compensation for calling the traffic police in case of a minor accident in 2018 is.

What it is?

Road traffic accidents occur every day. In this case, the scale of the accident can be both significant and small.

According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, minor road accidents are considered to be accidents in which there are no casualties and minimal damage to property is caused in the form of external scratches or minor defects.

In case of minor accidents, it is not necessary to call the traffic inspectors. In these cases, the participants in the accident are obliged to independently record the incident, admit guilt and resolve disputes using the European protocol.

The Europrotocol is a form issued by the insurer when issuing an MTPL policy. The paper must be filled out independently, in duplicate, and is the basis for reimbursement of the insurance premium.

Application of the Euro protocol:

damage as a result of an accident was caused only to property - while the life and health of drivers, passengers or other road users were not harmed;
no more than 2 cars were involved in the accident;
absence of disagreements between drivers (one of the citizens admits his guilt);
drivers have the necessary documents to issue a European protocol without traffic police;
valid MTPL insurance.

A minor road accident means an accident resulting in the total cost of damage not exceeding 50,000 rubles. This limit of insurance payment is implied by the European protocol. Such property damage includes:

damage to car coating;
minor damage to headlights;
curvature of plastic body elements.

Drivers can only calculate the approximate cost of damage. The final assessment is made by a qualified expert.

If a motorist still has doubts about the validity of the Euro protocol, it is necessary to call the traffic police.

What to do in case of a minor accident?

The registration of a minor accident is regulated by an agreement with the insurance company. According to Federal Law No. 40, the European protocol is filled out by each motorist independently. On the front side of the document the following is indicated:

driver data;
insurance series and number;
detailed circumstances of the incident;
information about car damage.

On the reverse side there is a diagram of the traffic accident, as well as clear coordinates of the location of the cars.

A sample of filling out the European protocol can be downloaded here:

Actions of the person responsible for the accident

In the event of an accident, the culprit must:

place an emergency stop sign at the scene of the incident;
make sure there are no casualties;
record the position of the vehicles on a video camera.

In addition, the person responsible for the accident is prohibited from leaving the scene of the accident, otherwise the citizen will be held criminally liable.

Actions of the victim

An injured motorist in an accident needs to record the incident on camera, then write down the contact information of eyewitnesses. If the driver admits guilt, he must begin filling out the European Protocol, having previously notified the insurance agent about the minor accident.

Who can assess the extent of the damage?

If there is doubt about the cost of damage to the car, the driver must:

call the insurance company manager to the scene of the accident. The telephone number is indicated in the MTPL policy;
notify the traffic police about the accident.

The degree of damage caused is determined by an independent expert, after the vehicle has been evacuated to an accredited service center and a diagnostic examination has been carried out.

Is it necessary to call the traffic police?

A minor accident that occurs on the side of the road or in the yard, as a rule, is registered without the participation of the road inspection. In this way, drivers can avoid a fine, according to Article No. 12.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. However, when preparing documentation for an insurance company, you should adhere to the rules of insurance under the CASCO system:

do not leave the scene of the incident;
fill out the European protocol in 2 copies;
submit the form to the insurer within 5 working days;
Do not perform car repairs yourself.

Fine for calling the traffic police in a minor accident

In 2015, amendments were made to the legislation of the Russian Federation, in particular to acts of road law and order, regarding the registration of minor accidents. From now on, in the event of minor accidents on the road, drivers are required to independently draw up a report and submit the documents to the insurance company. The traffic police is called only if the culprit leaves the scene or refuses to admit his wrongdoing.

For unlawfully calling the traffic police during a minor accident, drivers are subject to administrative liability and fines. In 2018, the fine for violating the law is 1 thousand rubles.

Registration of a minor accident

The procedure for drivers to act in a minor accident is regulated by traffic rules and does not differ at all from the manipulations that are performed in a major accident. However, the parties can choose an alternative method of resolving the issue - mutually agree on the amount of compensation and not report it to the traffic police.

Which accident will be considered minor?

The occurrence of an accident can cause serious damage to vehicles, both for the culprit of the accident and for the victim. In order to recognize a case as insured and receive compensation for damage, it is necessary to correctly draw up the accompanying documents.

In practice, there are cases when a traffic accident falls into the category of minor ones and a call to the traffic police, subsequent paperwork, and proving to the insurance company that you are right may be impractical, and in some circumstances, entail more expenses than the amount of compensation due.

A minor road accident is an incident that does not result in serious damage or large property losses for those involved.

Category Features:

A simplified procedure for registering an accident may be applied;
If the case meets the statutory requirements, drivers have the right to use the European protocol;
The amount of damage should not exceed the limit of 50 thousand rubles;
There are no casualties;
Typically, a minor accident causes the following damage:

Vehicle paintwork;
External lighting devices of the car;
Plastic body elements;

To determine the actual damage, it is better to contact a specialist, since even a minor impact could change the original geometry of the unit.

Before calling the traffic inspectors, you should objectively weigh how serious the accident turned out to be, since for a minor incident there is a risk of getting a fine.

Europrotocol

The Europrotocol is a unified form that participants in an accident can fill out independently and without the involvement of a traffic inspector.

Participants in an accident have the right to use this document only if the estimated amount of damage does not exceed 50 thousand rubles.

The Europrotocol, when completed correctly, retains all guarantees for insurance payments that the victim can receive when registering an accident with the help of a traffic police inspector.

There are conditions that must be observed when using the Europrotocol, in particular:

Participants have the necessary package of documents;
Availability of valid MTPL policies for each party;
Only property damage was caused (any harm to the health of motorists or passengers, pedestrians and other third parties must be excluded);
The maximum number of participants in an accident is two;
The parties have reached full consensus on the details of the event that happened and no longer have additional claims or claims;

If any of the participants in a minor accident still have doubts, it is advisable to call the traffic police, since in the future the proof procedure will turn out to be impossible or will become significantly more complicated.

Procedure

The occurrence of an accident that is classified as minor does not affect the general procedure that each participant in the incident must follow:

Stop the vehicle;
Turn off the car;
Put the vehicle on the parking brake;
Turn on the alarm;
Put up a sign;
Proceed to other participants in the incident to provide assistance or coordinate issues regarding the registration of the incident;
Photo, video recording of an accident.

A minor incident can be resolved in the following ways:

Drawing up a European protocol;
Compensation by the culprit of the entire amount of damage to the victim from his own funds;
Calling traffic police inspectors

The second option is considered the fastest, but it is necessary to take into account some nuances, for example:

Only an experienced mechanic can identify hidden damage, so you should contact a car service (since hidden damage is the most expensive);
It is possible only by mutual agreement of the participants and with the obligatory drawing up of a receipt.

What should the culprit do?

The guilty person should take part in collecting materials that, although they will not completely relieve him of responsibility, will provide an evidence base if the victim begins to demand unreasonable compensation. In particular:

Try to find witnesses to the accident;
Capture on camera:

Environment;
Quality and features of the road surface;
Brake track;
License plates of the other party involved in the accident.

What should the victim do?

The victim of an accident must adhere to a similar algorithm of actions as the culprit of the incident. However, in addition to everything, he needs to make sure that the second participant has a valid MTPL policy.

Having a video recorder recording the details of the incident will allow you to quickly resolve potential disputes.

How to apply

If a minor accident occurred in a parking lot or in the yard, then you can register it yourself using a European protocol, without involving inspection staff.

The European protocol is drawn up in the following stages:

Make sure that the situation meets the conditions under which an accident does not require the involvement of traffic police officers;
The culprit of the accident and the victim agree to the use of a unified protocol;
Find possible witnesses to the accident and take their contacts;
Take photos, videos, record details of the incident (within 60 minutes after the incident);
Assess the extent of damage;
Fill out the protocol, observing the important nuances:

Data is entered only with black river on a helium basis;
Each participant must fill out their own part of the accident notification;
The front side of the European protocol must contain the signature of both the victim and the perpetrator;
The reverse side of the document is filled out independently;
The copies must be separated if they were originally glued together;
Making adjustments to the protocol after its disconnection is allowed only with the consent of the second participant in the accident.

Another “peaceful” alternative in case of a minor accident is for the culprit to pay the estimated amount of damage to the victim out of his own pocket. Such manipulations are beneficial to each of the participants, since:

Allows you to avoid disputes with traffic police officers;
Done in the shortest possible time (save time and nerves);
Protected from administrative liability (fine for obstructing traffic on the roadway - from 1 thousand rubles).

As a general rule, participants in an accident, in order to protect themselves from potential claims, must draw up a receipt with the following content:

Title of the document;
Place and date of compilation;
Information about the participants in the incident:

FULL NAME;
Information from the passport;
Registration address;

The reason why one counterparty transfers monetary compensation to another;
Information about vehicles involved in an accident:

Brand;
Model;
Year of issue;
Information from PTS;
State license plate;
Other identifying information;

List of damages that the participants were able to notice;
Amount of compensation;
Deadline for fulfilling the obligation (if the culprit does not have the required amount immediately);
Signatures of counterparties.

If the culprit escaped

What to do in the event of a minor accident if the culprit escaped? This question remains relevant, since a minor emergency situation can simply not be noticed and unknowingly leave the scene, without even knowing what happened.

In a situation where the owner of the vehicle has discovered damage from a minor accident, the culprit of which has disappeared, a number of measures should be taken:

Perform the basic actions that are required in case of any accident (stop the vehicle, put up a sign indicating an accident, turn on the hazard lights);
Call authorized employees;
Collect all possible information about what happened (first of all, interview people nearby);
Take a photo or video of the result of the accident (marks on the asphalt, damage to the car).

The arriving traffic police officers are obliged to record the accident and take all possible measures to find and capture the culprit.

The situation will be resolved very quickly if the inspectors have at their disposal:

Video from the car recorder (both the victim himself and nearby vehicles);
Video from surveillance cameras of nearby retail outlets or other organizations.

How to determine real damage

If the parties cannot find a compromise, the situation can develop in two directions:

Call authorized traffic inspectors to the scene of the incident:

Employees will collect all the necessary information;
The amount of damage will be determined by the judicial authorities;
The parties must check how correctly the documents about the accident occurred were drawn up;
The culprit cannot avoid the initiation of administrative proceedings and penalties;

Call the insurance company manager:

The service must be provided for under the terms of the existing policy (additional charge);
Ensures proper recording of the insured event;
The road commissioner from the insurance company will be able to more accurately determine the amount of compensation;

How to properly file an accident without calling the traffic police?

Road accidents do not always require the intervention of traffic police officers . If certain conditions are met, you can solve the problem yourself.

All controversial issues can be resolved in a few hours. But there will be a risk of not receiving the required monetary compensation from insurance if there are errors in the protocol.

Let's get acquainted with the procedure for registering an accident without the traffic police.

Changes in legislation

Let's look at how to file an accident without calling the traffic police in accordance with the new procedure that came into force on July 1, 2017.

If there are no injuries, drivers should:

stop, do not change the position of the vehicle or elements of the accident;
turn on the hazard warning lights;
place an emergency sign on the road at a distance of 15 m.

Traffic police inspectors will not go to the scene of an accident without victims. If no one was injured as a result of the accident, you don’t have to go to the traffic police.

You can independently resolve issues regarding filling out the notice. Calling a traffic police inspector is necessary if controversial issues arise between participants in an accident.

The participation of eyewitnesses is also not necessary . Photos or videos from the accident scene will be sufficient.

Drivers can provide themselves with an independent notification form, in which they need to draw a diagram and independently contact the insurance company for monetary compensation for damage.

Cases in which you can do without the traffic police

If the participants have no complaints against each other, if no one was hurt, calling the traffic police is not necessary.

Then drivers need to act as follows:

capture everything on video or photo;
move away from the scene of the accident;
independently issue a notification about the incident;
if you don’t have the form with you, you can come to the nearest traffic police department and fill out all the documents, and the employees will help with this;
you can do without paperwork if the damage is minor and the parties have agreed to cover the costs of repairs.

A vehicle is removed from the road if it interferes with the passage of other road users, if there is no disagreement and the incident can be resolved peacefully.

Let's take a closer look at the procedure for registering an accident without the participation of traffic police officers.

What is the Europrotocol?

This is a procedure for processing documents about an accident without traffic police officers . This is an accident notification form. Based on this, you can receive compensation under your insurance policy.

Registration under the European protocol is an opportunity to document what happened on your own and quickly leave, without creating traffic jams and minimizing the risk of new collisions. This opportunity is available in all regions of the Russian Federation.

Conditions that allow you to register an accident under the European protocol:

Only two vehicles were involved in the accident, and both participants have a valid MTPL policy.
Only cars and their trailers were damaged. There were no injuries, no deaths, no damage to other property.
The participants have no disagreements regarding damage to the car. If the parties blame each other for what happened, you will have to call the traffic police.
The amount of damage does not exceed 50,000 rubles. If the car owner assures that such an amount will not cover the costs of car repairs, the traffic police should be called.

If the circumstances of the accident do not satisfy these conditions, the accident will have to be registered in the general manner.

If the vehicle involved in the accident is registered in the territory of another state, its owner does not have compulsory motor liability insurance or CASCO insurance, but has an international Green Card insurance policy, you can also record an accident without traffic police officers or first call the RSA Green Card Information Center at + 7 (495) 641 27 87 and consult.

Let's find out how to properly file an accident without the traffic police in order to get insurance.

Video: How to register an accident according to the European protocol?

Europrotocol form

The form must be completed correctly . It is issued by the insurance company to the car owner when he takes out a MTPL or CASCO policy.

If it is not there, you can contact the nearest company office or look on the company’s official website. You can also use the services of the reference and legal systems “Garant” and “Consultant”.

How to correctly fill out a notification of an accident under MTPL without calling the traffic police? The European protocol in case of an accident must be drawn up in a form called “Notification of a Road Accident”.

The document consists of a main sheet and an insert onto which the information entered on the first sheet is copied. After registration of the front side, the main form is separated from the additional one. Each of these sheets has equal legal force.

Compliance with the rules for drawing up a European protocol in the event of an accident minimizes the risk of disagreements with the insurer when considering documents for monetary compensation:

fill out the form with a simple ballpoint pen, legibly, in block letters;
Marks and corrections are not allowed;
All columns and fields are filled in.

On the front side indicate:

information about the location, date of the accident (if it is a highway, its name and kilometer are recorded), time (must be accurate to the minute);
number of damaged cars (2), absence of injuries (there should be no other, otherwise the traffic police should be called);
information on witnesses to the accident (if any);
accurate information about damaged cars, car owners, and persons who were driving the vehicle at the time of the accident;
information about the participant’s insurer, the number of the current insurance policy, its validity period;
list of damaged parts and components of the machine;
road accident diagram (point 17).

There are no uniform rules by which the scheme is drawn up. But the drawing must be clear so that the insurer does not have additional questions.

On paper you need to mark the position of the road section where the accident occurred, indicate the names of neighboring streets, house numbers located nearby, or shopping centers and other landmarks, traffic lights, road signs, markings, etc.

The position of the vehicle at the time of the accident is schematically shown on the image of the area (cars are usually depicted as rectangles), designated by codes “A”, “B”. The direction of movement is indicated by arrows.

The location of the impact is X. Under the graphic image, a decoding of the symbols is given.

In paragraph 14 of the form, indicate the nature and list of visible damage caused. Information should be described briefly and accurately. It is necessary to ensure that the other participant does not add damage to this item that is not related to this accident.

The terms used are: scratch, dent (deformation), rupture (crack). Hidden damage is revealed during examination.

In paragraph 16, drivers note the circumstances of the accident. Correctly reflect the car’s maneuvers, taking into account the following:

A parking lot is not a stop. If the car stopped at a traffic light, it is noted that the vehicle “stopped at a prohibitory traffic light” and not “in the parking lot.”
When one car is overtaking another, if the car was changing lanes, it is noted that the driver “changed lane” and “overtook.”

In paragraph 15 “Remarks” you can enter additional information about the accident that was not indicated in the paragraph with the circumstances of the accident.

After drawing up the front side, signatures of both parties are placed, the pages are separated to independently draw up the back side.

On the reverse side, each driver can describe his vision of the accident and indicate who was driving the car at the time of the accident.

In “Notes” you can indicate information about the availability of additional information about the accident that was obtained after photo and video shooting.

If the form is damaged, torn, or the information on it is difficult to read, the document is issued at another bank. All adjustments and additions made to the form after signing and separation are endorsed by the signatures of both participants.

If there are contradictions in the data presented by the participants in the accident, it means that the nature, list of damages and circumstances of the accident caused disagreements.

This means you need to call the traffic police. If it is impossible to determine the circumstances of the accident and the culprit based on the above, the insurer may refuse monetary compensation.

What to do after filing a notice?

If the notice is issued, there are no disagreements, you can leave the scene of the accident and contact the insurer. A copy of the accident notice with the front and back sides filled out is attached to the application.

A notice is sent to the insurer within five working days from the date of the accident. The car cannot be repaired within 15 days.

If the car needs to be repaired earlier than this period, the vehicle is presented to the insurer for inspection and written consent for repairs is obtained.

If a traffic police officer stops a car

A traffic police officer, seeing damage to a car, can stop the car to check whether an accident has been registered.

When submitting a notice to the insurance company, you need to take a copy of the document certified by an employee of the insurance company to present it to the traffic police officer.

Road accident with victims

In the event of an accident, the driver must:

stops and does not move the vehicle;
turns on the emergency alarm;
displays an emergency stop sign;
does not change the position of objects that are related to the accident;
determines the presence of victims.

If there are injuries or deaths, the driver:

provides first aid;
calls an ambulance;
calls the traffic police;
records the name, address, and contact information of eyewitnesses;
if the case is urgent, sends the victims in a passing car to a medical organization;
If the victims can only be transported to the hospital in the car of the participant in the accident, you need to send them to a medical facility, show the medical workers your documents, and return to the scene of the accident in your own car.

If the traffic flow is stopped due to an accident, the participant:

records the location of the accident, the position of the car, traces, damage using photos or videos;
records eyewitness information, if available;
removes the car from the roadway;
waiting for traffic police officers.

Police officers who arrived at the scene recorded:

information about the participants in the accident;
explanations of participants and witnesses;
additional information that is important to clarify the circumstances of the accident;
issue certificates of road accidents to participants;
initiate proceedings for an offense, if any.

Documents for applying to the insurance company

Within five working days you need to contact the insurer with the following documents:

passport (if the driver is a foreign citizen, then you must present a notarized translation of the passport (or a translation certified by the embassy));
power of attorney for a car, if the driver is not the owner of the car;
documents on the ownership of the property (registration certificate, vehicle passport), agreement if the car is leased/rented;
certificate of an accident (form No. 154), annex to the certificate, if there are victims (the document must contain: corner stamp, full name of the traffic police officer who compiled the certificate, information about the place, date, circumstances of the accident, policy number, name of the insurance company, information about the cars -participants, information about the vehicle drivers and the culprit, contacts of participants, list of damages);
protocol on administrative violation;
notification of an accident.

Certificates are not needed if the accident was registered according to the European protocol.

Important information:

Do not sign blank document forms!
information about witnesses must be present in the protocol;
if the driver does not agree with the determination of the fact of traffic violation or the amount of the fine, the inspector draws up a protocol;
If the driver does not agree with the information presented, he should mark his point of view in a special column, cross out the word “violator,” sign “driver,” and add that he does not consider himself to be the culprit of the accident.

Now it is not necessary to call traffic police officers to the scene of an accident. If there are no injuries, the participants have no claims against each other, you can file an accident yourself.

If the accident meets certain conditions, then it can be registered using a European protocol . Thanks to the detailed instructions for filling out the notice in this article, there should be no difficulties in filling out the form.