Car collision in Poland: what to do, joint statement and mStłuczka
Short answer: After a minor collision with no injuries you need not call the Police if both drivers agree on fault. Write a joint statement, or use mStłuczka if both cars are Polish.
A minor collision in Poland, where nobody is hurt and only cars are damaged, can usually be settled on the spot. What you must do depends on whether anyone was injured, whether the other driver admits fault and whether both cars are Polish-registered. This guide follows Polish Police pages, the Ministry of Digital Affairs pages on the mStłuczka service in the mObywatel app, and a Warsaw Police news item dated 13 October 2026, as checked on 17 October 2026.
Collision or accident: the difference matters
The Police page from KPP Police (a county police unit near Szczecin) defines a collision (kolizja) as a road event with damage only to property and no injuries. In that case participants are not obliged to call the Police. The duty to call arises only for a road accident in which at least one person died or was injured, according to the same page.
The KPP Krotoszyn page, which cites article 44 of the Road Traffic Act, says you must report to the Police when:
- anyone was injured;
- the vehicles are significantly damaged;
- there is doubt who was at fault;
- a crime is suspected, for example driving after alcohol or without a licence.
First steps at the scene
According to the Police pages:
- Stop without creating extra danger. Switch on the hazard lights and set the warning triangle at a suitable distance if the vehicles cannot be moved. Without hazard lights, use the position lights.
- Do not change the position of the vehicles unless they endanger traffic, so the course of events can be established.
- Take down details of witnesses who might leave before the Police arrive.
- Give your personal data, the vehicle owner's details and the details of the insurer that issued the compulsory third-party liability policy (OC).
* Photos: warning triangle (Germany) and a police car in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 / public domain (illustrative).
When to call the Police even for a small collision
The Police page lists cases where calling is better, in particular when the person at fault:
- seems drunk, or there are signs of a crime;
- has no licence, registration document or insurance with them;
- does not admit causing the collision and will not sign a statement;
- leaves the scene;
- was driving a borrowed vehicle;
- is a foreigner.
If you are a foreign driver involved in a collision in Poland, or the other driver is, the Police page suggests calling the Police (112 works for this).
Settling it without the Police
If participants agree that there is no doubt about the circumstances, the Police page says they can settle the matter themselves with a joint statement describing the date, time, place and damage. The statement by the person at fault should include, according to the Police pages:
- names and registered addresses of both drivers, and driving licence numbers and issuing bodies;
- registration numbers of both vehicles;
- the OC policy number and insurer of the person at fault;
- a clear statement of who caused the event;
- a simple sketch and description, and, per the Krotoszyn page, the weather conditions and a declaration of sobriety;
- signatures of both drivers.
As the injured party, check the other driver's details against their ID, licence, registration document and insurance policy, the Krotoszyn page advises.
The mStłuczka service in the mObywatel app
Since 1 September 2025, according to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, drivers can write the joint statement in the mObywatel app and send the damage report to an insurer from it. Conditions given by the Ministry:
- Both drivers must have the mObywatel app and agree who caused the collision.
- Both vehicles must be registered in Poland.
- Only vehicles were damaged and nobody was hurt.
Photos taken at the scene can be attached. Some data, such as the policy number and vehicle and owner details, is pulled from state registers. The statement can be downloaded as a PDF signed with a qualified certificate of the minister for digitalisation, and the injured party can send the damage report to the insurer from the app. A gov.pl page says the service had been running for more than a year, and a Warsaw Police news item from 13 October 2026 also covers it.
If one car is foreign-registered, the Ministry's conditions mean mStłuczka cannot be used, so write a paper statement or call the Police.
After the collision
The Krotoszyn page says the injured party reports the damage to the insurer of the person at fault, as soon as possible. After the damage report and inspection, do not make changes or repairs to the damaged vehicle until the insurer has seen it.
What the sources do not cover
The pages we checked do not give deadlines for reporting a claim, repair cost limits or the rules for foreign-registered vehicles in detail. For a foreign vehicle, ask the Police and your insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to call the Police after a minor collision in Poland?
Not if nobody is injured, both drivers agree on who is at fault and the circumstances are clear, according to Police pages. Call the Police if someone is hurt, there is doubt, or the other driver is a foreigner or has no documents.
Can I use mObywatel after a collision with a foreign car?
No. The Ministry of Digital Affairs says both vehicles must be registered in Poland and both drivers must use the app.
What should the statement include?
Names, addresses, licence and registration numbers, the OC policy of the person at fault, a clear statement of who is at fault, a sketch and signatures of both drivers.
