I was involved in an accident – how should I know?

If you have been involved in a road accident (traffic accident or traffic accident for short), the following adverse effects may occur: consequences for you or your companions:

• material damage (i.e. damage to the vehicle/vehicles);
• there is an injured person (non-pecuniary damage, pain, injuries or death);
• both types together.

If only material damage is caused, each driver is obliged to:

• to assist in establishing the damage from the accident;
• to move their vehicle so as not to obstruct traffic. This is done if there is agreement between the participants in the accident regarding the circumstances surrounding it;
• if such consent is available – to fill in their data in a Bilateral Findings Report (BFR);
• If there is no agreement between the participants in the accident regarding the circumstances related to it, they, without leaving the scene of the accident, notify the police authorities of the Ministry of Interior in the territory where the accident occurred and carry out the instructions given to them.

If there are people injured in an accident, the driver is obliged to:

• to notify the police authorities of the Ministry of Interior by calling 112;
• to remain at the scene of the accident and await the arrival of the competent authorities of the Ministry of Interior;
• if necessary, take measures for traffic safety and provide assistance to the injured, if this does not pose a danger to him;
• not to move the vehicle if it does not obstruct traffic, and not to change its condition until the police arrive. However, he may transport an injured person to a nearby medical facility, if necessary. After that, he is obliged to immediately return to the scene of the accident;
• to take measures to preserve the traces of the disaster that occurred until they are fixed or described by the competent services;
• not to consume alcoholic beverages until the arrival of the control authorities.

When are Ministry of Interior officials required to visit the scene of an accident?

If any of the circumstances listed below are not present, you cannot in any way oblige the representatives of the Ministry of Interior to visit the accident. The law specifies which are these situations:

• There is an injured or deceased person in the accident;
• There is a disagreement between the participants mainly regarding the circumstances surrounding it (in the event that there are no casualties);
• If there is a suspicion that a participant in the accident is under the influence of alcohol and/or narcotics or their analogues or does not possess the necessary rights to drive a vehicle;
• The accident involved one person (so-called self-accident) and the vehicle was unable to move on its own;
• the accident caused a traffic jam on the road;
• the accident involved a vehicle carrying dangerous goods or goods that had spilled onto the road and, as a result, created a traffic hazard;
• the accident involved a vehicle of the Ministry of Defense or the Bulgarian Army.

When is the scene not visited by the Ministry of Interior authorities?

1. in case of damage to the vehicle resulting from natural disasters;
2. vehicle fire;
3. vehicle damage that occurred while parked;
4. vehicle damage not caused by another vehicle.
5. damage to the car windows.

We recommend that you, even though the event will not be attended by the Ministry of Interior, make the necessary efforts to obtain the proper documents.

You can read more about the documents that the Ministry of Interior authorities or drivers draw up after a traffic accident in our article on the topic

We hear about the black statistics constantly and from all sources. You can find different statistics on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The purpose of summarizing this data is not to instill negative thoughts or despair in people, but to create greater vigilance on the road in drivers and for them to realize the risk and responsibility they bear when they get behind the wheel. We remind you - be careful!

And here's a visual of what the statistics look like for 2018: