Accident or Breakdown in a Rental Car in Turkey: Exactly What to Do

What should you do first after an accident in Turkey?

Stop safely, switch on hazard lights, place the warning triangle, check everyone for injuries, and call 112 if anyone is hurt. Then call your rental company before moving the vehicles or agreeing anything with the other driver. Do not leave the scene.

The order matters. Safety, then emergency services, then the rental company, then documentation. Moving the cars before the situation is recorded can complicate both the police report and the insurance claim, unless the vehicles are blocking a motorway lane and the police instruct you to clear it.

Which emergency numbers do you need in Turkey?

Turkey uses 112 as the single emergency number for ambulance, fire and police. Traffic police can be reached on 155, and the gendarmerie covering rural areas on 156. Save all three plus your rental support line before you start driving.

• 112 — ambulance, fire, police (all emergencies).
• 155 — police, including traffic incidents in cities.
• 156 — gendarmerie, for rural roads and intercity highways.
• Auris support — the WhatsApp line stays open during your rental for accidents, breakdowns and roadside issues.

Do you need a police report for a rental car accident?

Yes, in almost all cases. Rental insurance in Turkey requires an official accident report — the traffic police report or a jointly signed accident declaration — before damage can be processed. Without it, the damage may fall to the renter.

Never agree to settle privately at the roadside, however small the damage looks or however convincing the other driver is. A cash agreement with no report leaves you holding both the payment and the unpaid claim on the rental.

What does rental insurance actually cover?

Standard rental insurance covers damage to the vehicle within the terms of the contract, usually with an excess you are liable for. Reducing that excess is available as an extra. Coverage is void if the driver was unlicensed, under the influence, or driving outside the agreed conditions.

• Covered normally — collision damage within the rental terms, third-party liability as required by law.
• Excess — the fixed amount you carry per incident unless you bought the reduction.
• Not covered — drink-driving, unlicensed drivers, off-road use, negligence, undeclared cross-border travel.
• Always — get the incident documented; insurance decisions rest on the report, not on your description afterwards.

What if the car breaks down rather than crashes?

Pull off the road safely, put out the triangle, stand clear of traffic behind the barrier, and call the rental support line. Do not attempt repairs yourself and do not arrange your own tow — an unauthorised repair or recovery can void the coverage.

Auris Cars handles roadside assistance during the rental. Depending on the fault and location, that means a mechanic, a recovery truck, or a replacement vehicle so your trip continues rather than ends on a hard shoulder.

What should you photograph at the scene?

Photograph both vehicles from four angles, the damage in close-up, the position on the road, the other car's plate, the other driver's licence and insurance details, and the road signs or lane markings around you.

Take the photos before the cars are moved. Send them to your rental company immediately while you are still on scene — it speeds up the claim, and it means the person handling your case sees exactly what you saw rather than a description written hours later.