How to Fill Out the European Accident Statement Form: Field-by-Field Guide

You’re standing at the side of the road, accident statement form in hand, and you’re not sure what to write. Every field matters. A wrong date, a missing policy number, or an incorrectly ticked circumstance can delay your claim by weeks - or shift liability against you. This guide walks you through every section of the European Accident Statement form, field by field, so you fill it out correctly the first time.

Fill out the European Accident Statement online now → easf.eu

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Before you start: what to have ready

Before you pick up a pen or open easf.eu on your phone, gather these items:

• Your insurance certificate or Green Card - you need your insurer’s name, policy number, and Green Card number (Section 8)
• Your driving licence - for your full name, date of birth, and licence number (Section 9)
• Your vehicle registration document - for the make, model, registration number, and country code (Section 7)
• A pen (if using the paper form) - ballpoint only, so the carbon copy is legible
• Your phone - for photos and, if using easf.eu, for filling the form digitally

If you cannot find your policy number, check your insurer’s mobile app or the certificate in your glove compartment. Your Green Card contains all the insurance details you need for Section 8.

Fill out the form at the scene, not hours later from memory. Details fade quickly, and the form is designed to be completed while both drivers are present to agree on the facts.

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Front page: section by section

The front page is completed and signed by both drivers at the scene. The official EAS form has 15 numbered sections, arranged in two mirror columns - Driver A on the left, Driver B on the right. Each driver fills in their own column only.

Section 1: Date and time of the accident

Write the exact date (DD/MM/YYYY) and time in 24-hour format. A rough estimate like “around noon” gives you no record to counter the other driver’s account if they later claim a different time.

Section 2: Place of the accident

Street name or road number, city, country, and direction of travel for each vehicle. Be specific: “N7, 2 km south of junction with D104” is useful; “near the highway” is not. Include the country name - it establishes which country’s law applies.

A vague location like “main road” gives you no record to counter the other driver’s account if they later claim a different location.

Section 3: Injuries

Tick yes or no. This covers drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Do not tick “no” simply because injuries seem minor at the scene. Whiplash and soft tissue damage often appear hours or days later. If you wrote “no injuries” and later make a medical claim, the insurer will question the inconsistency. When in doubt, write “possible - to be confirmed.”

Section 4: Property damage

Describe damage to anything other than the two vehicles - barriers, road signs, fences, buildings, posts, parked vehicles. Note what was damaged and who owns it. “Metal guardrail damaged on north side of road” is clear; “some damage to roadside” is not.

If you damaged a guardrail and did not record it, you may face a separate claim later with no documentation to defend yourself.

Section 5: Witnesses

Full names, addresses, and phone numbers of anyone who saw the accident - ask before they leave the scene.

If the other driver later disputes the facts, a witness is your strongest evidence. Without one, it is your word against theirs. Do not skip this step because it feels awkward.

Section 6: Policyholder / insured party

Surname, first name, address, phone number, and email of the policyholder - the person in whose name the insurance policy is held. If the driver and policyholder are the same person, the same details go in both Section 6 and Section 9.

One specific case to watch: if you are driving a company car or a family member’s vehicle, the policyholder is not you. Leave this blank and the insurer cannot identify the correct policy.

Section 7: Vehicle details

Make, type/model, and registration number with country code (e.g., PL, D, F). The country code matters - the same letter-number combination can exist in multiple countries, and without it the registration number is ambiguous.

Section 8: Insurance details

What to write: Insurer’s name, policy number, validity period (start and end dates), Green Card number, and agency or branch name. Copy everything directly from your insurance certificate or Green Card.

Do not leave the Green Card number blank. Within the EU/EEA it is not legally required - mutual agreements between national insurers’ bureaux guarantee coverage for registered vehicles - but it is the fastest way for a foreign insurer to trace your policy through a network of over 40 member bureaux.

Section 9: Driver details

What to write: Surname, first name, date of birth, address, driving licence number, licence category, and licence validity date. Copy these from your driving licence.

The licence number and category tell the insurer whether you were legally authorised to drive the vehicle - a detail that matters if the other party disputes your coverage.

Section 10: Point of initial impact

Mark the first contact point on the vehicle diagram with an arrow or cross. This lets the insurer cross-reference the damage description (Section 11) and the circumstances (Section 12) to reconstruct how the collision happened. Do not skip it.

Section 11: Visible damage

Be specific: “dented rear right bumper, cracked right tail light, scratches along right rear panel” - not “rear damage.” Vague descriptions make it easier for the other party to attribute pre-existing damage to this accident.

Section 12: Circumstances

What to write: Tick every circumstance from the 17 standard options that applies to your own actions. Count the ticked boxes and write the total. Read each option carefully - tick only what applies to you, not to the other driver. Recording the total prevents later manipulation.

Mistake to avoid: Ticking circumstances that describe the other driver’s behaviour - you are attributing those actions to yourself. A missing total count means someone could add ticks after signing without detection. This is the single most important section for determining liability.

Section 13: Sketch

Draw a diagram showing road layout, vehicle positions before and after impact, direction of travel, road signs, and lane markings. See the dedicated sketch section below.

Section 14: Remarks

What to write: Anything not covered above - disagreements with the other driver, road conditions, weather, visibility, nearby cameras. Note any disagreements here clearly.

Mistake to avoid: Leaving this section blank. It is your opportunity to add context that could affect liability - rain, sun glare, an obscured road sign, an uncooperative other driver.

Section 15: Signatures

Both drivers sign the completed front page. See the dedicated signing section below.

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Section 12 deep-dive: the 17 circumstances explained

Section 12 is the most important part of the form. The 17 tick-boxes are numbered identically in every language version. Each driver marks only the circumstances that describe their own actions - not the other driver’s.

1. Was parked (at the roadside)

Your vehicle was parked and stationary. On many continental versions this also covers being stopped in traffic, at a red light, or at a stop sign - check the exact wording on your form. Do not tick this if you were still moving.

2. Was leaving a parking place (at the roadside)

You were pulling away from a parked position. On many continental versions this also covers opening a vehicle door into traffic. Example: you pulled out of a roadside spot and were hit by a passing vehicle.

3. Was entering a parking space

You were moving into a parking space - parallel parking, reversing into a bay, or pulling into a spot. Do not confuse with circumstance 5 (entering a car park or private premises). Example: you reversed into a space and hit the vehicle behind you.

4. Was emerging from a car park, private grounds, or a track

You were driving out of a parking area, private driveway, or track onto a road - the moment of transition onto the larger road. Example: you pulled out of a supermarket car park and hit a vehicle already on the road.

5. Was entering a car park, private grounds, or a track

You were turning into a car park, driveway, garage, or private property from the road. Do not confuse with circumstance 3 (entering a parking space) or circumstance 4 (leaving). Example: you turned right into a private driveway and collided with a vehicle behind you.

6. Was entering a roundabout (or similar traffic system)

You were entering the roundabout from an approach road. If you were already on the roundabout, tick 7 instead.

7. Was circulating in a roundabout

You were already circulating inside the roundabout when the collision occurred. Do not tick both 6 and 7 unless there were two separate impacts.

8. Was striking the rear of the other vehicle while going in the same direction and in the same lane

You drove into the back of a vehicle ahead, both travelling in the same lane and direction. If you were also in the process of changing lanes, also tick 10.

9. Was going in the same direction but in a different lane

You and the other vehicle were travelling in parallel lanes in the same direction. This describes the configuration - if you were also changing lanes, also tick 10. Example: you sideswiped a vehicle in the adjacent lane.

10. Was changing lanes

You were moving from one lane to another at the moment of impact. Only tick this for your own lane change - if the other driver moved into your lane, they tick it on their side. Example: you moved from the middle to the right lane and hit a vehicle already there.

11. Was overtaking

You were actively overtaking - pulling out, passing, or pulling back in. Simply driving in a faster lane does not count. Example: you pulled into the oncoming lane to pass a slower vehicle and collided head-on.

12. Was turning right

You were making a right turn at a junction - not a bend in the road. Example: you turned right at a junction and clipped a vehicle on your right.

13. Was turning left

You were making a left turn at a junction. Left turns across oncoming traffic are one of the most common accident scenarios on this form. Example: you turned left and were hit by an oncoming vehicle.

14. Was reversing

Your vehicle was moving backwards. If you reversed into a parking space, you may also tick 3.

15. Was encroaching in the opposite traffic lane

You crossed the centre line into the oncoming lane outside of an overtaking manoeuvre. If you crossed while overtaking, tick 11 instead - or both, if appropriate. This covers drifting and cutting corners on bends.

16. Was coming from the right (at road junctions)

You were approaching the junction from the right relative to the other vehicle. This describes your position, not who had right of way - it is a geometric fact, not a fault attribution.

17. Had not observed a right of way sign

You failed to obey a yield or stop sign. On many continental versions this also covers running a red light - check the wording on your form. Only tick this if you are certain you failed to observe the sign or signal. If the light was amber or you believe you had priority, note the details in Remarks (Section 14) instead.

After ticking: Count the total number of boxes you ticked and write that number in the space provided. This total prevents anyone from adding extra ticks after the form is signed.

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The sketch (Section 13): how to draw it correctly

The sketch is visual evidence that supports the tick-box circumstances. Include:

1. Road layout - road shape, lane markings, centre lines
2. Vehicle positions before impact - simple rectangles labelled A and B
3. Vehicle positions after impact - where each vehicle ended up
4. Direction of travel - arrows on each vehicle
5. Road signs and traffic signals - stop signs, yield signs, traffic lights
6. Street names or road numbers - label the roads

Common mistakes: drawing only vehicles without the road; forgetting direction-of-travel arrows; not labelling A and B. Always draw a bird’s-eye view. It does not need to be artistic - it needs to be clear. On easf.eu, you draw the sketch on screen and it is embedded in the PDF.

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Back page: completed separately, not shared

The front page is a joint document signed by both drivers. The back page is your private account, sent only to your own insurer.

What to write:

• A detailed account of how the accident happened, in your own words - sequence of events, what you saw, what you heard
• Additional information about passengers, vehicle ownership, and any pre-existing damage
• Whether the vehicle is driveable
• Additional photos or documentation

Be factual, not emotional. “I was driving east on the N7 at approximately 50 km/h. The vehicle ahead braked suddenly” is more useful than “He stopped for no reason.” Include details the front page cannot capture - weather, sun glare, road surface, faded markings.

You do not need to complete the back page at the scene. Take it home, write it carefully, and send it with the front page within your policy’s reporting deadline.

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Signing: what to check before you sign

The signature confirms that both parties agree on the recorded facts. It does not admit fault - the form states this explicitly.

Before you sign, verify:

1. Your column is complete - every section filled in
2. The other driver’s column is complete - ask them to fill in any blanks
3. The circumstances (Section 12) are correct - re-read both sets of ticks
4. The total tick count is written for both columns
5. The sketch matches the circumstances
6. The damage descriptions match the actual visible damage

If you disagree with the other driver’s column: do not refuse to sign. Write your disagreement in the Remarks section - for example: “I disagree with Driver B’s circumstance ticks - Driver B was changing lanes, not me.” Your signature confirms the recorded facts on the entire front page. Use the Remarks section to note any points you disagree with.

If the other driver refuses to sign: fill in your side completely, note the refusal in Remarks, photograph their registration plate, and collect witness details. Your insurer can process a claim with a one-sided form and supporting evidence.

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What happens after: where the form goes

Each driver takes a copy - the paper form has a self-copying carbon page; easf.eu emails both drivers the same signed PDF. Insurers then use the form to identify the parties (Sections 6-9), determine jurisdiction (Sections 1-2), assess liability (Sections 10-13), cross-reference both drivers’ accounts for discrepancies, and process the claim. Under EU Directive 2009/103/EC (the Motor Insurance Directive), insurers have 3 months to make a reasoned offer or provide a reasoned reply to any claim.

For cross-border accidents, Section 8 is especially important - the Green Card number traces your coverage through a system of over 40 member bureaux.

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Sources

1. Your Europe - Car insurance cover abroad, official EU portal.
2. Insurance Europe - Accidents: information for consumers.
3. Citizens Advice UK - Road accident abroad.
4. European Consumer Centre - Car accident in Europe.
5. EUR-Lex - Directive 2009/103/EC (Motor Insurance Directive), European Parliament and Council.
6. Council of Bureaux - Green Card system statistics (FIAR 2022 presentation).
7. ADAC (Germany) - Unfall im Ausland: Was tun?.
8. Europäisches Verbraucherzentrum Deutschland - Autounfall im EU-Ausland.
9. DFIM (Denmark) - European Accident Statement (PDF).
10. Service Public (France) - Constat amiable.
11. EASF - European Accident Statement Form.