Save a contact card before the first kilometre
The useful emergency number is the one that matches the road where the incident occurs. Save contacts named Police [country], Ambulance [country], Fire [country], Rental assistance and Travel insurer. Add the vehicle plate, rental agreement number, policy number, accommodation and the language you can speak. Print the same card and keep it outside the phone case.
Do not use a roadside-assistance number for a person who is injured or in immediate danger. Call the emergency service first, then the rental company and insurer when the scene is safe.
What 112 does and does not mean
112 is the single European emergency number in the European Union and can connect callers to police, fire or ambulance. It is not a universal worldwide number, and a phone may need network coverage. Follow the destination authority’s instructions if it publishes a different number or a service-specific route.
The number alone does not send a complete report. Be ready to say the country, road number, direction of travel, nearest sign or kilometre marker, number of vehicles, injuries, fire or fuel spill, and a callback number. If language is difficult, give the location first and use the rental company’s interpreter or a passenger to translate.
Warn approaching traffic only when it is safe to leave the vehicle. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Check the route-specific number
Use this as a starting worksheet, not a permanent global table. Reopen the official page for the country and the type of incident before travel.
| Route example | Police / emergency | Medical or fire detail |
|---|---|---|
| EU member state | 112 | Operator routes police, fire or ambulance |
| United Kingdom | 999 or 112 | State whether police, fire or ambulance |
| United States and Canada | 911 | One emergency route; give the road and state/province |
| Australia | 000 | 112 is a mobile fallback in limited circumstances; check official guidance |
| New Zealand | 111 | One emergency route |
| Japan | 110 police; 119 fire/ambulance | Use the correct service and give a map pin or landmark |
| Mainland China | 110 police; 119 fire; 120 ambulance | Ask the rental branch for local-language assistance |
| Hong Kong | 999 | Police, fire and ambulance through one number |
| Macau | 999 | Confirm the local service when crossing from Hong Kong or mainland China |
| Singapore | 999 police; 995 ambulance/fire | Separate numbers; save both |
The table deliberately avoids listing dozens of numbers that can change or be confused with non-emergency lines. A destination guide or embassy may also publish a tourist or highway operator number; save it separately and label its purpose.
A dispatcher needs a road, direction and landmark, rather than a pin with no context. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Separate emergency, breakdown and insurer calls
After a collision, make the scene safe and call the emergency service for injuries, danger or a blocked live lane. Once police or medical help has been arranged, call the rental branch’s 24-hour line. Ask whether the vehicle may be moved, which recovery contractor to use and what photographs or report number the insurer needs.
For a mechanical breakdown without immediate danger, stop in a safe place, use the warning equipment allowed by the local rule and call the rental assistance number printed on the agreement. Do not accept an unsolicited tow operator before the branch confirms the job; an unauthorised recovery can create a disputed bill.
Leave a location script offline
Write a short script in the local language or English:
I am on [road], travelling [direction], near [sign/town]. There are [number] vehicles and [number] injured people. The vehicle plate is [plate]. The safe callback number is [number].
Save accommodation coordinates, the road authority’s closure page, the rental branch and the insurer in an offline note. Download the local map, but treat the phone’s displayed location as a clue; confirm the road name or marker with signs.
Keep the contact card, first-aid items and reflective equipment together before leaving. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
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Sources and review date
This tip was reviewed on August 17, 2026. Numbers and service boundaries are controlled locally; confirm the destination authority, rental agreement and insurer for every route.