What to do when you are engaged in a traffic accident?

Every driver is required to assist any person who is injured and in a helpless position due to a traffic accident. If it is necessary to take a victim immediately to hospital in order to assist him or her and if the state of the victim allows him or her to be transported, the driver shall transport the injured person into a hospital. If the vehicle is not suitable for the safe transportation of the victim, the driver thereof shall organise the transportation of the victim to hospital using another suitable vehicle

 

In case of a traffic accident with victims (when someone is hurt or killed) one shall:

•       call the ambulance or Rescue Board, if necessary;

•        notify the police;

•        write down the names and addresses of eyewitnesses.

 

A traffic accident act shall be compiled for such an accident by a police prefecture and the case is handled as an offence or misdemeanour pursuant to the laws.

If a traffic accident has caused only material damage and if the driver(s) engaged in it and the person, to whom material damage was caused, agree upon the reasons and the issue of responsibility for the accident, the police does not have to be notified. Upon reporting the traffic accident the form "Report of a traffic accident" has to be filled in by the parties or the event shall be recorded on paper, which shall include the following data:

1. Time and place of the traffic accident.
2. Details of the owners of the vehicles engaged (name, address, phone).
3. Details of the drivers of the vehicles engaged (name, address, phone, number of the driver's licence).
4. Registry data of the vehicles engaged (mark, model, vehicle registration mark, vehicle identification number).
5. Data of the vehicles' insurance policies (policy nr, period of validity).
6. Data of possible eyewitnesses.
7. Short description and scheme of the accident showing the locations and trajectories of the vehicles.
8. Signatures of the parties.
9. Signature of the driver, who caused the traffic accident, verifying the causing of the accident.

After the recording of the traffic accident the insurance company dealing with traffic accidents (recommendably the insurance company of the guilty party) or the Estonian Traffic Insurance Fund shall to be contacted as soon as possible and the vehicles shall be presented for examination and, if necessary, additional explanations concerning the accident's circumstances shall be given.

If the drivers or the driver and the injured party of the accident disagree upon the assessment of the reasons of the accident and the issue of responsibility or when the injured party is not known, the driver must immediately notify the police about the accident and proceed from the directions given by the police.

 

The injured party (driver) has to notify:

•        any insurance company providing traffic insurance in Estonia; or 

•        the Estonian Traffic Insurance Fund

in person or via an agent orally or in writing about the accident as soon as possible. 

 

The person (driver) responsible for the damage caused in a traffic accident and the person who does not know whether he is the injured or the guilty party has to notify about the accident:

•       his/her insurance company; or

•       the Estonian Traffic Insurance Fund.

 not later than in 5 days.

 

When, for a compelling reason, it is impossible to notify within five days:

 

•  it shall be proved to the insurance company or the Estonian Traffic Insurance Fund:

-         a written explanation about the accident shall be submitted; and

-         the vehicle engaged in the accident shall be presented for examination.