There has been an accident.
in-chi-DEN-teh — four syllables; 'ci' before 'de' makes a 'ch' sound.
Use to report a road accident or any unexpected incident requiring police attention. Police are mandatory when there are injuries or when drivers cannot agree.
For road accidents with injuries, call 118 (ambulance) first, then 113 or 112 (police). For accidents without injuries, both parties must exchange insurance and identity details.
C'è stato un incidente stradale.
There has been a road accident.
More specific — 'stradale' clarifies it's on the road.
Due macchine si sono scontrate.
Two cars have collided.
Describes the action directly — useful when a quick summary is needed.
Un'auto ha investito un pedone.
A car has knocked down a pedestrian.
Most serious scenario — triggers immediate ambulance and police response.
Italian law (Codice della Strada art. 189) makes it a criminal offence to leave the scene of an accident with injuries. This crime (fuga dopo incidente) carries criminal prosecution.