Accident or Breakdown on the Road: What to Do and How Roadside Assistance Can Help

Nobody reads this article in advance — and everyone should. Not because you should be worried, but because the order of steps matters. When something happens, the first ten minutes are important, and this is where people often make the same mistake: they call the rental company first and only then think about safety and the police.

The order that always applies

One: safety. Turn on your hazard lights, put on your reflective vest while still inside the vehicle, exit on the side away from traffic and place the warning triangle. If anyone is injured or in danger, call 112 immediately — everything else can wait.

Two: the police, if necessary. Contact the police in cases where someone is injured, where the law requires it, when there is a dispute about how the accident happened, or when alcohol or other serious circumstances are suspected. For a minor accident without injuries, and provided the legal conditions are met, you can use the European Accident Statement — the form that should be kept in the vehicle.

Three: take photos. Photograph the position of the vehicles before moving anything, then take photos of the damage, registration plates, surroundings and road signs. A few minutes of taking photos can prevent a dispute that might otherwise take weeks to resolve.

Four: call us. Only now. You will find our number in your rental agreement and in the vehicle. Tell us where you are, what happened and whether the vehicle is still drivable — from that point on, we will deal with the situation together with you.

What roadside assistance covers

Roadside assistance is included in your rental, operates 24/7 and is available abroad as well. In the event of a breakdown, assistance can be arranged at the roadside and, if the problem cannot be resolved there, towing to a service centre may be arranged according to the circumstances and the terms of the assistance service.

Assistance may also cover situations such as a flat battery, a punctured tyre or keys locked inside the vehicle. The exact procedure always depends on the situation and the applicable assistance conditions.

Roadside assistance does not mean that all costs related to a problem are automatically covered by the rental company. Refuelling after running out of fuel or dealing with incorrect fuel in the tank may be charged separately.

If you have a serious breakdown or accident far from home, we will work with you to determine the next steps. Depending on the situation, location and availability, we will look for the most appropriate solution — whether that means a replacement vehicle, towing or another form of assistance. In Bratislava, a solution may be arranged relatively quickly; abroad, especially during a public holiday, the situation can be more complicated. We will always tell you what is realistically possible.

What to do when something minor happens

A wheel scraped against a kerb, a stone chip in the windscreen or a scratch in a car park caused by an unknown vehicle. These situations do not require panic, but they should be reported as soon as possible — not only when you return the vehicle.

Take photos of the damage and contact us on the same day you discover it.

The reason is practical: damage reported when it occurs can be documented properly and dealt with more easily. Damage discovered only when the vehicle is returned is more difficult to assess. Insurance companies work with documentation and evidence, not simply with what someone remembers happening.

With a windscreen stone chip, it is especially important not to wait. A small chip may be repairable, while a larger crack may require the entire windscreen to be replaced.

Who pays for what?

Our vehicles have both compulsory third-party liability insurance and comprehensive insurance, and the insurance is included in the rental price. If the damage is covered by insurance, the applicable excess is handled according to the terms of your rental agreement, together with any applicable administrative fee for processing the claim.

Processing a damage claim involves documentation, communication with the insurance company and service centre, and other steps required to close the claim.

There are also situations where insurance may not cover the damage — for example, driving by an unauthorised driver, driving under the influence of alcohol, intentional damage, using the vehicle in breach of the rental conditions or putting the wrong fuel in the vehicle.

In such cases, the renter may be responsible for the full cost of the resulting damage. This is why it is important to understand the rental conditions before collecting the vehicle.

The deposit and waiting for the final damage amount

Sometimes we know about the damage when the vehicle is returned, but we do not yet know its final cost. We may need to wait for an inspection, a service estimate or the insurance company.

In such cases, the deposit may remain on hold until the damage has been assessed. This is not a penalty — it is a way of ensuring that the damage can be properly assessed and settled.

We will keep you informed by email throughout the process. Once the amount is known and the damage has been settled, you will receive the relevant information and the remaining deposit can then be released.

If it turns out that the damage is fully covered by insurance and there is nothing to charge the customer, we will let you know just as quickly.

What to have on your phone

Three numbers and one document.

112 for emergencies, the roadside assistance number, which you will find in your rental agreement and the vehicle documents, and our number, so you can contact us directly.

It is also useful to have your rental agreement on your phone, or access to your customer account where you can find your rental details, vehicle handover documents and insurance information.

If someone at the scene asks who the vehicle belongs to, who rented it or where the relevant documents can be found, you will have the information immediately at hand.

The most important rule is simple: safety first, then the necessary steps at the scene, and only then call us. We will help you with everything that comes next.