I had an accident: do I need to call the police, and what should I do?
In short
The police do not need to come to every accident. If there is only material damage and you agree with each other, it is enough to fill in the European accident report together. If someone is injured or you do not agree, call the police. Leaving the scene before the facts have been recorded, when you know you were involved in the accident, is a crime.
Video transcript
You've had a small collision. Nobody is hurt, just a dented bumper. It depends: With only material damage and if you agree, the European accident report is enough. If someone is injured or you disagree, call the police. The right way: Stop and stay at the scene. Fill in and sign the report together. Tell your insurer within 8 days at the latest. If you leave the scene: Fine: 1.600 € – 16.000 €; Fleeing, with injuries: 6 months – 3 years prison; If someone is injured, also: Ban of at least 3 months.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Stop and stay at the scene. Leaving the scene is a crime (vluchtmisdrijf / délit de fuite), even if the accident was not your fault.
- If someone is injured, even slightly, call 112 or the police (101). The police will write an official report (proces-verbaal / procès-verbal).
- If there is only material damage, you do not need the police: fill in the European accident report (Europees aanrijdingsformulier / constat européen d'accident) together with the other driver, and both of you sign it. The front page cannot be changed after signing.
- If you do not agree about what happened, or the other driver does not want to sign, call the police. You can write your own view in the 'Opmerkingen / Observations' box on the report.
- Report the accident to your insurer in writing straight away, within 8 days at the latest, and send the report too. This time limit is set by the rules on compulsory motor insurance.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Leaving the scene of an accident (vluchtmisdrijf): by law, a fine of 1.600 € – 16.000 € (level 1). With surcharge multipliers, the amount you pay can be higher.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §1 (Justel)
- Court / prison
- Leaving the scene of an accident with injuries is level 2 (6 months – 3 years in prison) and brings a driving ban of at least 3 months; for a fatal accident it is level 3. A repeat offence within three years is level 3.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §2 (Justel)Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §3, 1° (Justel)
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- The court can give you a driving ban; for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, a ban of at least 3 months is compulsory
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 38 §1, 5° (Justel)Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §2 (Justel)
- The front page of the report cannot be changed after signing; wrong or missing information can affect compensation
- A conviction can be put on your criminal record; serious or repeated crimes can affect your residence permit
Legal basis:Sv. art. 590, 1°Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 21
What do these terms mean?
- Criminal record
- The state register of convictions handed down by a court. The extract asked for a job, residence or nationality application comes from it. Municipal GAS fines are not entered in it.
Why does this rule exist?
Accurate information after an accident means injured people get help in time and the damage is paid for fairly. The police do not need to come to every minor accident, so their teams stay free for emergencies. A driver who flees can leave an injured person without help and a victim without compensation.
Where can you go?
- Municipal driving licence serviceExchanging a foreign driving licence and other licence matters
- Free first-line legal adviceIf you have been summoned to the police court (juridische eerstelijnsbijstand / aide juridique de première ligne)
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 13 / 13 statements in an official source
- Checked: 22.10.2026
- Last checked
- 22.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 13 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Olay yerinden kaçmak seviye 1; kanunda 1.600 € – 16.000 € para cezası (kaza sizin hatanız olmasa da)
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Yaralanmalı kazada kaçmak seviye 2 ve en az 3 ay ehliyetten men; ölümlü kazada seviye 3
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Üç yıl içinde tekrarında seviye 3
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §3, 1° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Yaralı varsa, hafif bile olsa, polisi çağırmak gerekir
Verkeersreglement (KB 1.12.1975) art. 52.3 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Yalnızca maddi hasarda polis gerekmez; tutanak birlikte doldurulur
Verkeersreglement art. 52.2 + Wegverkeerswet art. 33 §1 (vluchtmisdrijf) (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ön yüz yerinde iki sürücü tarafından doldurulup imzalanır ve sonradan değiştirilemez
Europees aanrijdingsformulier, uitgegeven door Assuralia (© 2001 CEA) – gebruiksaanwijzing; + Wikifin (FSMA) - Found in an official source
Anlaşmazlıkta veya imzadan kaçınılırsa polis çağrılabilir; görüş 'Opmerkingen' kutusuna yazılır
Wikifin – Trouwen: financiële gevolgen - Found in an official source
Tutanağı sigortaya bildirme süresi birçok poliçede 8 gün
KB 16.04.2018, bijlage art. 32 §1 (vervangen bij KB 5.2.2019, BS 19.02.2019; Staatsblad) - Found in an official source
Kaza yerinden kaçmada (art. 33 §1) mahkeme men verebilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 38 §1, 5° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Yaralanmalı (integriteitsaantasting) kazada kaçma: seviye 2 + en az 3 ay men
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 33 §2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Mahkûmiyet adli sicile kaydedilir
Sv. art. 590, 1° - Found in an official source
Kamu düzeni nedeniyle oturuma son verilebilir
Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 21 - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): Özet 'Olay yerinden ayrılmak suçtur' diyor. Kanun yalnızca kazaya karıştığını bilerek, tespitten kaçmak için gitmeyi (vluchtmisdrijf) cezalandırır. Maddi hasarda tutanak birlikte doldurulduktan sonra ayrılmak suç değildir.
Kaynak alıntısıyla karşılaştırma (abartı taraması)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?