A court in Zlatar has ruled that any contact between two vehicles constitutes a collision, regardless of intensity. Fleeing the scene can cost you up to 920 euros, plus a driving ban and penalty points.
Many drivers believe that a scratch in a parking lot is not a traffic accident, but merely a cosmetic oversight. However, Croatian traffic regulations and case law say otherwise. According to the Road Traffic Safety Act (ZSPC), a traffic accident is an event on the road, caused by a violation of traffic regulations, involving at least one moving vehicle and resulting in material damage. As soon as there is material damage, you enter the zone of a violation, writes HAK Revija, whose text is republished by 01Portal.
The Municipal Court in Zlatar, Permanent Service in Krapina, in case Pp-71/2026-5, issued a ruling on April 21, 2026, that shatters all excuses. The defendant driver argued that it was merely a gentle touch, that he did not feel the impact, and that the damage was negligible. The court dismissed this defense with a landmark statement: "Any contact between two vehicles constitutes a collision, regardless of intensity."
The driver also tried the argument that the owner of the damaged vehicle had parked illegally. His frustration was summed up in his statement: "If he hadn't parked there, if he hadn't been there at all, and it's evident and undisputed that he parked illegally, none of this would have happened, and I wouldn't be in court today!" The court also rejected this as a reason for acquittal, but did take the illegal parking of the damaged vehicle into account as a mitigating circumstance when determining the penalty.
When a driver decides to simply walk away from the parking lot, they trigger a triple violation package. First, careless driving under Article 43, Paragraph 3 of the ZSPC is punishable by a fixed fine of 130.00 euros. Second, causing a traffic accident with material damage increases the fine by an additional 130.00 euros, bringing the total to 260.00 euros.
The third item is the most severe. Under Article 176, Paragraph 5 of the ZSPC, a driver who fails to leave their details or fill out the European Accident Statement and leaves the scene of the accident is punishable by a fine ranging from 390.00 to 920.00 euros. However, money is the lesser problem here. Paragraph 6 prescribes a mandatory protective measure of a driving ban for at least six months, and Paragraph 7 adds three penalty points to the driver's record.
In the reasoning of the ruling, the court noted the mitigating circumstances it considered: "When determining the penalty, the court, pursuant to Article 36, Paragraph 2 of the Misdemeanor Act, took into account all circumstances that influence whether the penalty is lighter or heavier for the offender. As mitigating circumstances, it considered the fact that no significant property damage was caused in the said traffic accident, as evident from the photographs of the vehicles after the accident, the fact that the defendant had no prior misdemeanor convictions, and the fact that the owner of the damaged vehicle had parked illegally, thereby contributing to the occurrence of the accident."
Instead of fleeing, all you need to do is take out a piece of paper and a pen, write down your full name, address, mobile number, and license plate, and place the note under the windshield wiper of the damaged vehicle. It is also recommended to take photos of the note and the damaged vehicle as evidence. With this simple gesture, you not only demonstrate civic responsibility, but you also protect your household budget, avoid police reports and court proceedings, and, most importantly, keep your driver's license.
