What Should a Courier Do After an Accident in Poland

A road traffic accident while making a delivery is one of the most stressful situations any courier can face. In this critical moment, you have to think simultaneously about your own safety, the condition of the current order, damage to your vehicle, communication with the insurance company and the police, as well as the possible loss of income due to downtime. This article will help you understand what to do if an accident occurs in Poland while delivering food. You will learn what to do after a road traffic accident in Poland, which documents must be completed at the scene, how to properly interact with delivery platforms, and how to protect your rights to receive compensation.

What a Courier Should Do in the First Minutes After a Road Traffic Accident

If you are involved in a road traffic accident while delivering food, immediately take the following steps:

• Stop completely. Bring your vehicle to a complete stop immediately and switch off the engine;
• Hazard lights. Turn on the hazard warning lights if you are driving a car;
• Assess the situation. Make sure there is no immediate threat to your life and check the condition of the other road users;
• Move to a safe area. Go to the sidewalk or roadside if the courier accident involving a bicycle or electric scooter occurred in the middle of a busy roadway;
• Reflective vest. Put on a high-visibility reflective vest to make yourself as visible as possible to other drivers;
• Warning triangle. Place a warning triangle at the legally required distance from the accident scene if your type of vehicle and the road conditions require it;
• Emergency services. Call emergency services immediately by dialing 112 if anyone has been injured.

When a Courier Must Call the Police After an Accident in Poland

There is a clear list of situations in which resolving the issue on your own without legal consequences is impossible. When deciding whether to call the police after a road traffic accident in Poland, use the following guidelines:

1. Injuries. If anyone has been injured as a result of the collision, calling both the police and an ambulance is mandatory;
2. Leaving the scene. If the other party fled the scene without attempting to complete the required documentation, this must be officially recorded by the police;
3. Dispute over fault. If the drivers cannot agree on who caused the collision and who is at fault;
4. Problems with documents. If one of the parties does not have a driver’s license, vehicle registration certificate, or valid insurance;
5. Suspected intoxication. If there is any indication that the other driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
6. Significant damage. If the vehicles are severely damaged and are blocking public transport traffic;
7. Special circumstances. If the accident involved a pedestrian, a municipal service vehicle, or if it was a complex scooter accident during a delivery.

If No One Is Injured: How a Courier Should Complete an Accident Report

If no one was injured in the incident and only property damage occurred, you can save time by not waiting for the police. In such cases, a European Accident Statement (European Accident Report) or a standard written road collision statement is used. To ensure the document is legally valid, it is important to know how to complete an accident report in Poland correctly.

The following information must be included in the form:

• Date and location. The exact time, date, and location of the incident (city, street, building number, or highway kilometer marker);
• Parties involved. Personal details of both drivers, including their full names, residential addresses, and phone numbers;
• Vehicles. The makes, models, and registration numbers of all vehicles involved in the incident;
• Insurance policy. The full name of the at-fault party’s insurance company and the policy number of the mandatory OC insurance;
• Circumstances. A detailed written description of how the collision occurred;
• Accident diagram. A sketch showing the positions of the vehicles, road markings, direction of travel, and the point of impact;
• Witnesses. Contact details and signatures of witnesses who saw the accident;
• Signatures of both parties. The document must be signed by both participants, and the at-fault driver’s written admission of liability must be clearly stated.

Who a Bolt Food, Glovo, Wolt, or Fleet Partner Courier Should Notify After an Accident

If an accident occurs while working for Bolt Food, Glovo, or Wolt, what should you do with the active order? This is one of the first questions couriers ask. Your work is closely monitored by the platform’s algorithms, so notifying the platform promptly is essential to protect your account.

• Stop the delivery. Immediately stop the current delivery in the app if continuing the trip is unsafe or impossible due to vehicle damage;
• Contact support. Open the support chat in the delivery app for the order you are currently handling;
• Report the accident. Clearly and briefly inform the support agent: An accident occurred during my delivery. I was involved in a road traffic accident.;
• Ask about the order. Ask the support agent what should be done with the food in your thermal delivery bag. In most cases, the order will be canceled or reassigned to another courier;
• Request number. Save the unique reference number of your support request;
• Screenshots. Take screenshots of your entire conversation with the platform’s support team for your records;
• Order details. Record the exact time of the accident, the delivery address, and the order number.

You should also contact your fleet partner immediately. If you work with Promin Partner, our specialists will help you quickly resolve any issues with the delivery platform’s support team and advise you on the next steps.

How a Food Delivery Courier Should File an Insurance Claim

To recover the cost of repairing your vehicle, you need to initiate an insurance claim. The process of receiving compensation under the at-fault party’s OC insurance consists of the following steps:

1. Collect information. Double-check all the information gathered at the accident scene about the at-fault party;
2. Verify the insurance policy. Make sure you have the correct policy number for the at-fault party’s mandatory OC insurance;
3. Prepare the documents. Gather high-quality photos from the accident scene along with the completed accident report;
4. Contact the insurance company. Reach out to the at-fault party’s insurance company through its official website or customer support hotline;
5. Describe the damage. Provide a detailed description of all damage to your bicycle, scooter, or car;
6. Upload documents. Submit digital copies of all documents, the European Accident Statement, or the police report through the insurer’s system;
7. Claim number. Obtain the unique claim reference number from the insurance company;
8. Track the claim. Regularly monitor the status of your claim through your online account or by phone.

Summary: How a Courier Can Protect Themselves After an Accident

The best protection for a courier on the road is strict compliance with traffic regulations and staying calm in emergency situations. Remember that a road traffic accident while working as a courier requires you to document both the damage to your vehicle and your active status in the delivery app. Knowing your rights, carrying basic safety equipment, and having the support of a reliable partner like Promin Partner will help you minimize financial losses and return to delivering orders on the streets of Poland as quickly as possible.

FAQs

Road Traffic Accident or Road Collision: What Is the Difference?

The main difference lies in the severity of the consequences. In Poland, a road collision refers to an incident in which only vehicles or property are damaged and no one is injured. If the accident results in injuries or fatalities, it is classified as a road traffic accident, which requires mandatory involvement of the police and emergency medical services and may have criminal consequences.

What Should a Parcel Delivery Courier Photograph After an Accident?

To protect your interests when filing an insurance claim, you should take wide-angle photos of the accident scene showing the road, lane markings, road signs, and traffic lights. You should also take close-up photos of the registration plates of all vehicles involved, any dents or scratches on your vehicle or thermal delivery bag, and the other driver’s documents while completing the European Accident Statement. Finally, take a screenshot of the active order in your courier app to officially confirm your working status at the time of the collision.

Who Pays for the Damage if a Courier Is Involved in a Road Traffic Accident?

The answer depends on who is found responsible for the incident. If you are the injured party, the repair costs for your vehicle are fully covered by the at-fault driver’s mandatory OC insurance. If the accident was your fault, you will be responsible for the costs unless you have voluntary comprehensive vehicle insurance (AC).

Can a Courier’s Road Traffic Accident Be Considered a Workplace Accident?

Yes. If the collision occurred while you had an active status in the delivery app and were delivering an order to a customer, it is considered a road traffic accident during food delivery. In such cases, the courier may be entitled to official workplace accident compensation from Poland’s ZUS social insurance institution. To receive compensation, an official workplace accident report must be prepared confirming that the injury occurred during working hours, which may partially compensate for lost income following the accident.

What Is Different About an Accident Involving a Bicycle, Scooter, or Car?

The main difference lies in the level of legal protection and the way the incident is documented. In a car accident, the presence of mandatory OC insurance is the key factor, and the damage is assessed according to standard repair rates. If a car accident occurs during a delivery, the case is generally handled using the European Accident Statement. In the case of a bicycle or scooter, proving the extent of the damage is often more difficult, making witness statements and CCTV or dashcam footage especially important.

What Should a Courier Never Do After an Accident?

To avoid losing your right to compensation, never leave the scene of the accident, agree to verbal settlements, or sign documents in Polish if you do not fully understand their contents. Do not admit fault if there is any doubt about what happened, and do not dispose of damaged equipment before it has been inspected by the insurance company’s expert. You should also never continue making deliveries if your vehicle’s brakes or steering system have been damaged.

What Should a Courier Always Carry in Case of a Road Traffic Accident?

Every courier should prepare a personal emergency kit in advance. Your bag or vehicle should always contain a fully stocked first aid kit, a high-visibility reflective vest, a reliable phone holder to prevent your device from falling, a high-capacity power bank to keep you connected, and a document folder containing a blank European Accident Statement form and a pen. Using a dashcam will also provide undeniable evidence of your innocence in the event of any road traffic dispute.