Accident report
An accident report in the narrower sense is the notification of a (road) traffic accident to the police station responsible for the scene of the accident if one of the parties involved or the injured party is not present. In a broader sense, this can also mean messages to other bodies, for example to employers' liability insurance associations in the event of an occupational accident or to a control center at a transport company .
Accident reporting in the narrower sense is standardized in Germany in Section 142 (3) of the Criminal Code (special part, 7th section - "Offenses against public order"). The police forces of the federal states are obliged to receive these reports due to the respective police law (assigned task).
A road user who has harmed another on public traffic is obliged to wait a reasonable time at the scene of the accident or in the immediate vicinity of the other accident-damaged vehicle, provided that no person authorized to make a determination is present. If the person involved or a person appointed by him does not appear, a report must be made immediately to the locally responsible police station . This report can be made by telephone , in person or in writing.
If this notification is not made, the person who caused the accident can commit an offense of unauthorized removal from the scene of the accident , which is usually punished with heavy fines.
The provision is one of the few in German criminal law where a perpetrator has to present himself by law ( self-incrimination ).
