How to deal with accidents and emergencies in Türkiye

You should manage to remain calm after an accident. Remember that panic and hysteria will not make things any better, but they will certainly worsen the situation.

Read also The healthcare system in Türkiye

Handling accidents with casualties in Türkiye

If you are involved in a car accident in Türkiye, there are certain procedures that you should follow. Before checking for any material damage, you should first check to see if anyone is physically injured, including yourself.

If there are any casualties, then you should immediately dial 112 for an ambulance.

Please note that it is not guaranteed that the person on the other end of the line will be speaking English. Thus, it is always a good idea to know the meaning of some specific Turkish words such as “kaza”, meaning accident, and “yaralı”, meaning casualty.

The operator might ask about your location. However, they will usually see this information automatically from the phone you are making the call from. In case you are in a very remote location, and they fail to spot where you are, just press on the “location” icon on your smartphone and figure out your whereabouts.

Call the free emergency line 112 for:

• Serious casualties after an accident;
• Heavy bleeding;
• Heart attack;
• Diabetic coma;
• Suicide attempt;
• Poisoning;
• Epilepsy and other serious physical conditions.

Public ambulances take longer to arrive, and they do not always have the necessary equipment. You can opt for a private ambulance when you have insurance from a private health insurance agency. The quality of the equipment in private ambulances improved significantly.

If you or one of the passengers have minor injuries, then you can also go to the emergency department of any hospital yourself, as all hospitals are equipped and required to provide medical treatment for walk-in patients.

Read also Health insurance in Türkiye

Accidents without casualties in Türkiye

There is a special form in Türkiye that is prepared by the government to be used in road traffic accidents. It is called “kaza tespit tutanağı”, meaning accident report document. This form makes it easy to exchange driver and insurance information. Just enter the details on the provided form. You can mark the impacted areas, the position of the accident, etc. All you need to do is to sign the document mutually afterwards.

Proof of vehicle insurance must be carried in the car at all times. To claim the damages from your car insurance in the case of an accident, you should not be driving under the influence of alcohol or any other substances. If you are found to be the guilty driver who caused the accident, then you might lose points from your hull policy (Kasko Poliçesi). This would eventually increase the cost of the policy when it is time for the renewal.

Insurance premiums are relatively low when compared to Europe or the USA. It gets more expensive for drivers over the age of 70 and under 25. To make a claim, you need to provide a copy of the policy, official accident report, alcohol report, copy of the driver's license, and photographs of the accident.

Emergency situations in Türkiye

Türkiye is a generally safe place to live. However, natural disasters and other emergencies can still occur, and it's important to be prepared.

Important:

You should be aware that Türkiye is located in a high seismic zone, which makes a lot of the country's territory prone to earthquakes. In some towns, you will only find lot-storied buildings exactly for this reason.

The primary emergency response organization in Türkiye is AFAD. The Turkish government established AFAD in 2009 to manage all kinds of emergencies nationwide. Another emergency response body in the county is AKUT, which manages disaster search and rescue.

Emergency call numbers in Türkiye

• Ambulance 112
• Police 155
• Traffic Police 154
• Fire 110
• Coastguard 158

You can also dial 0800 300 001 to find the on-duty pharmacy near your location.

Useful links:

Garanti BBVA Mandatory Traffic Insurance

Insurance Association of Türkiye

Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency

AKUT Search and Rescue Association