At the moment of a crash adrenaline rises, pain goes unnoticed and thinking becomes hard. So knowing in advance what to do protects both your health and the legal and insurance process that follows. Read this article before you set off; save it somewhere you can open from your phone at the time of a crash.
1. The first minutes: safety
- Stop and stay calm. Don't leap to your feet; check your body first. If you have pain, numbness or tingling in your neck or back, don't move and wait for help.
- Prevent a secondary crash: If you can walk, move away from the area where traffic passes to a safe place. Remember that other vehicles may not see you.
- Mark the area: If possible, switch on the hazard lights and warn oncoming traffic with a reflective triangle or a flashing light. If there is someone to do this, have them do it.
- Turn off the engine: Switch off the ignition; if there is a fuel leak, keep cigarettes and sparks away.
2. Call 112
If there is an injury, or any doubt, call 112 immediately. In Turkey 112 is the single emergency number for ambulance, police, gendarmerie and fire brigade.
- State the location clearly: road name, kilometre marker, direction, a prominent nearby landmark. Location sharing on your phone helps.
- Report how many people are injured and their state of consciousness.
- Stay on the line until the operator tells you to hang up.
- Beware the reflex of saying "I'm fine": Adrenaline can hide some injuries for hours. If you have pain, dizziness or nausea after a crash, go to a medical facility and get a record made.
When should the police or gendarmerie be called?
Call the traffic teams in crashes with injuries or deaths, when the parties cannot agree, when the other party has fled, when one of the drivers is suspected of being drunk or unlicensed, or when public property is damaged. For the current rules on when an official report is compulsory, see the rules page.
3. If there is only material damage: the accident report form
If there is no injury and the parties agree on how the crash happened, an Accident Report Form (Kaza Tespit Tutanağı) can be filled in without calling the police. The form can be drawn up on paper or through official digital channels (e-Devlet and the insurance sector's mobile apps).
- Write each party's ID, licence, registration document and traffic insurance policy details in full.
- State the place, date and time of the crash correctly.
- Draw a sketch: the road, lanes, the directions of the vehicles and the point of impact.
- Tick the applicable crash situation; don't leave blank fields.
- Both parties must sign. Don't sign an item you don't agree with; in that case call the traffic teams.
If after the crash the vehicles are standing in a way that endangers traffic, first photograph them and then move them to a safe place.
4. Collect evidence
Photos and information are your strongest support in any disputes that may arise afterwards.
- General photos: The crash scene, the final positions of the vehicles, road signs, lights, skid marks, ground conditions such as oil or gravel.
- Close-up photos: The damage to both vehicles, the plates.
- The other party's details: Full name, phone, plate, insurance company and policy number.
- Witnesses: Names and phone numbers. Witnesses generally leave the scene quickly.
- Camera footage: If you have a helmet camera, back up the footage immediately. Also note the cameras of nearby businesses; recordings may be deleted after a certain time.
- Gear: Also photograph the damage to your helmet, jacket and gloves.
5. Notifying the insurer
- Notify immediately: Within the period stated in the policy, and if possible the same day, notify your own insurance company and/or the other party's traffic insurer.
- Which policy? If the other party is at fault, your damage is covered by their traffic insurance. If you are at fault, the other party's damage is covered by your traffic insurance; for damage to your own motorcycle you need kasko. If you have kasko, even if the other party is at fault it is sometimes quicker to run the process through kasko; your insurer then claims against the other party's insurance.
- Documents: The report form or crash report, photocopies of your licence and registration document, photos, and if applicable an alcohol test report and a medical report.
- Note the file number and keep all correspondence.
6. Assessment and repair
- The insurance company appoints an assessor to evaluate the damage. Don't start repairs before the assessor has examined the motorcycle; otherwise you may have problems with compensation.
- With the assessor, also discuss damage that isn't visible: fork, swingarm, frame, wheel straightness, radiator, brake parts. Even a fall that looks minor on a motorcycle can leave damage to structural parts.
- If the helmet has taken an impact it should be replaced even if it looks sound from the outside. See the gear guide.
- For items such as loss of value, gear damage and medical costs, you can get support from a specialist lawyer or an insurance adviser in pursuing your claim.
- When collecting the motorcycle after repair, check the brakes, handlebar alignment and suspension with a short test ride.
7. Psychological recovery
Getting back on a motorcycle after a crash can be unsettling. Start with short, calm routes first, and practise braking and manoeuvres in an empty area. If the unease lasts long, an advanced riding course can help you regain confidence. The braking technique and cornering technique guides are a good start.
Keep it in your pocket: a short list
- Move to a safe place, mark the area.
- If anyone is injured, 112. Don't remove the helmet unless essential.
- Photos, plate, insurance details, witnesses.
- If you agree, the report form; if not, the traffic team.
- Notify the insurer immediately; don't start repairs before the assessor comes.
For detailed information on insurance types and their coverage, see the insurance and kasko guide.