Accidents, Emergencies, and Roadside Assistance
Incidents happen in every fleet. The goal is to protect people first, preserve evidence second, and restore operations quickly without creating legal or billing confusion.
This article gives operators a practical response flow for collisions, injuries, vehicle breakdowns, and roadside events during active rentals.
Incident Priority Levels
Use clear severity levels so staff can react consistently.
| Priority | Examples | Target Response |
|---|---|---|
| P1 Critical | Injury, medical emergency, major collision, vehicle fire | Immediate (call emergency services first) |
| P2 Urgent | Disabled vehicle in traffic, towing required, police interaction | Under 15 minutes |
| P3 Standard | Flat tire in safe area, dead 12V battery, lockout without safety risk | Under 60 minutes |
If there is any risk to life or safety, always treat it as P1.
Customer Instructions (What to Show In-App)
When a customer reports an incident, prompt them to follow this sequence:
- Move to a safe location if possible.
- Call emergency services first for injuries or unsafe conditions.
- Do not admit fault at the scene.
- Capture photos of vehicles, road position, plates, and surroundings.
- Share police report information if one is issued.
- Contact fleet support through the app.
Safety First
Do not ask customers to continue driving a potentially unsafe vehicle. If brake, steering, tire, or airbag systems may be compromised, arrange towing immediately.
Operator Response Workflow
Classify the Incident
Mark the case as P1, P2, or P3 based on safety impact and vehicle condition. Start an internal incident timeline immediately.
Secure the Vehicle and Session
Identify the active session, vehicle, and customer. If needed, prevent additional unlock attempts and place the vehicle into maintenance status.
Coordinate Assistance
Dispatch roadside/tow provider, or local field operator. Share exact coordinates and customer callback details.
Collect Evidence
Request required media and documents (photos, police report number, witness details). Attach everything to the case before claim decisions.
Decide Immediate Disposition
Choose one: continue rental (rare), end rental, swap vehicle, or cancel reservation with fee waiver.
Route to Claims and Billing
Link the incident to Damage Claims, insurance verification records, and any reimbursement or waiver decision.
Minimum Evidence Checklist
Use this checklist before finalizing incident decisions:
| Evidence Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scene photos (wide + close) | Yes | Include all impacted sides and environment |
| Odometer and fuel/charge photo | Yes | Helps reconcile usage and post-incident status |
| Plate + VIN confirmation | Yes | Avoid vehicle identity disputes |
| Customer statement | Yes | Timestamped, in-app if possible |
| Third-party details | If applicable | Name, phone, plate, insurer |
| Police report number | If issued | Include jurisdiction and agency |
| Tow/roadside receipt | If applicable | Required for reimbursements |
Photo Quality
Require daylight or flash photos and at least one full-vehicle frame from each side. Blurry evidence is a common reason claims and chargeback defenses fail.
Roadside Scenarios and Recommended Actions
| Scenario | Typical Action | Billing Default |
|---|---|---|
| Flat tire | Dispatch roadside tire service or tow | Waive active-time charges during verified immobilization |
| Dead starter/12V | Jump service, then diagnostic inspection | No customer fault unless misuse evidence exists |
| Lockout / command failure | Operator unlock support or physical key fallback | No surcharge if platform-side issue |
| Collision with drivable vehicle | End session and inspect before next rental | Hold settlement until claim triage |
| Collision with non-drivable vehicle | Tow + incident claim workflow | Freeze final charge until documented |
Ending or Continuing the Rental
Use these rules for consistency:
- Continue rental only if vehicle safety is confirmed and no legal hold exists.
- End rental immediately for towing, collision uncertainty, or unresolved fault lights.
- If the customer is stranded and not at fault, waive late/extension penalties tied to the incident window.
- If session closure is blocked by connectivity, follow Smartcar Outage Runbook.
Insurance and Claims Routing
After immediate response:
- Verify customer insurance status from the rental session.
- Create or update a Damage Claim.
- Attach incident evidence and support timeline.
- Decide preliminary liability state: customer, third-party, shared, or undetermined.
- Communicate next steps and expected review timeline to the customer.
If the customer disputes resulting charges later, this evidence should be available for Dispute and Chargeback Defense.
Communication Templates
Initial Acknowledgment
"We have received your incident report and are coordinating support now. If anyone is injured or unsafe, call emergency services immediately."
Assistance Dispatched
"Roadside support is on the way. Please remain in a safe location and keep your phone available."
Post-Incident Follow-Up
"Your incident has been logged under case #[case]. We are reviewing evidence and will update you by [time/date]."
Post-Incident Review
Close each incident with an internal review:
- Was response within SLA for the priority level?
- Was evidence sufficient for claims and disputes?
- Did tooling or notification gaps delay response?
- Does this vehicle need preventive maintenance before reactivation?
Consistent reviews reduce repeat incidents and improve fleet uptime.
Need Help?
For severe incidents or process setup support, contact us at support@levyelectric.com and include vehicle ID, session ID, and incident timestamp.