Passenger-car crash response in Seoul · Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Last verified: September 22, 2026 · Current Road Traffic Act and Korea Consumer Agency rental-car guidance checked.
A rental-car accident in Korea has no single phone sequence to follow. An injury, a car blocking a fast road and a scrape in a parking lot are three different situations.
Someone is injured or the scene is dangerous → emergency response first.
No apparent injury, but the vehicles are creating a traffic hazard → record the scene, then make it safer where possible.
Immediate danger is under control → evidence, rental company, insurer and the documents you may need later.
Stop and help anyone who is injured
Article 54 of Korea's Road Traffic Act requires a driver involved in an accident that causes injury or property damage to stop immediately. The driver must take the necessary measures, including helping anyone who is hurt, and give the victim identifying information such as name, telephone number and address.
If somebody needs emergency medical help, call 119. Call 112 when you need the police: a serious collision, a disagreement about what happened, suspected drunk driving, a driver trying to leave, or anything you can't safely sort out at the roadside.
Photograph the road before photographing the scratch
Start with images that establish the scene. Take wide shots showing the vehicles, their position on the road, lane markings, signals and the intersection, then move in on the damage.
A useful file includes:
- the position of the vehicles;
- both license plates;
- the damaged areas;
- road signs and traffic lights that matter to the collision;
- the other driver's contact information;
- dashboard warning lights after the collision;
- whether the rental car's dashcam appears to be recording.
Do not step into moving traffic for a photograph.
Road Safety Video
Preventing Pedestrian Accidents — Korea Road Traffic Authority
This Korea Road Traffic Authority video is a visual road-safety supplement. The legal duties after an accident described in this article were checked separately against the current Road Traffic Act.
A police report is not automatically required for every minor property-only collision
Article 54 generally requires accident reporting without delay. It makes an exception when it is clear that only vehicles were damaged and the necessary measures to prevent danger and keep traffic moving have already been taken.
Don't read that as “small rental-car accidents never need police.” Your rental contract may have its own accident-reporting requirement. Police involvement is also much more useful when fault is disputed, injury is possible, road property is damaged or the other driver won't cooperate.
Call the rental company before arranging your own tow or repair
The rental company owns the vehicle and may have a designated insurer, towing company, repair shop or roadside-assistance network. The Korea Consumer Agency advises renters to notify the company immediately when an accident occurs.
Tell the company:
- where you are;
- whether anyone is injured;
- whether another vehicle or property is involved;
- whether police or emergency services are on scene;
- whether the rental car can move safely.
Save the claim or accident number. Unless safety demands otherwise, get the company's instructions before paying an independent tow truck or authorizing repairs.
Do not settle the entire problem with roadside cash
The other driver may offer a small sum so everyone can leave. It looks efficient, but the rental company owns the car, so a third party's property is involved. Settling with the other driver does nothing about damage to the rental vehicle, and it can leave an incomplete record if an injury or repair claim turns up later.
Preserve the evidence and follow the rental company's reporting procedure before agreeing to any informal settlement.
112, 119 and 1330 have different jobs
| Number | Use |
|---|---|
| 112 | Police |
| 119 | Fire, rescue and medical emergency |
| 1330 | Tourist information, interpretation support and travel assistance |
1330 can help once the immediate danger is handled and language becomes an obstacle. It doesn't replace 112 or 119 in an emergency.
The bill can contain more than a repair charge
What you still owe depends on the signed rental contract and the waiver or CDW product.
Possible items include:
- deductible or excess;
- uncovered repair costs;
- damage above a coverage ceiling;
- excluded parts or circumstances;
- towing or storage;
- loss-of-use while the car is unavailable for rental.
No internet formula gives the final amount for every company.
The separate rental-car insurance guide explains how to read those clauses before pickup.
If a charge arrives after you have left Korea
Keep the rental file until the card transaction is fully settled. If the company later charges for accident handling, ask for enough documentation to understand the amount.
- repair estimate;
- itemized repair statement;
- deductible calculation;
- loss-of-use calculation;
- accident photographs;
- relevant contract clause;
- receipt or card-charge record.
The Korea Consumer Agency specifically recommends comparing accident-related repair costs, deductibles and loss-of-use charges against the rental contract and repair documents.
If your credit card or travel insurer will reimburse the loss, you may need those same Korean records for the overseas claim.
If the company and renter still disagree
The 1372 Consumer Counseling Center and Consumer24 are possible consumer-support routes for a dispute with a Korean rental business. Prepare the documents before you ask for help. A complaint backed by the contract, disputed amount, repair statement and payment record is easier to assess than one that simply says the bill is too high.
A mechanical breakdown follows a different path
A dead battery, puncture or other mechanical problem without a collision doesn't automatically become an accident claim. Move out of immediate danger if possible and call the rental company's roadside-assistance number. Before paying for a local repair or replacement part, ask whether the company has a designated procedure.
Sources
Two Korea Desserts
A 2026 no-commentary walk through Hongdae after the accident and insurance paperwork.