When should you call police after a collision
- First published Feb. 28, 2011
Collision damage reporting threshold has increased
As of Jan. 1, 2011, the amount of total property damage requiring a motorist to report a vehicle collision to a peace officer in Alberta went up to $2,000 from $1,000.
The change in reporting property damage should reduce the amount of effort and resources associated with collision reporting, as motorists will no longer be required to report crashes u
nder $2,000 to a police officer.
This new change will also provide continuity in reporting of traffic collisions in Alberta as well as the new $2,000 threshold will better reflect current vehicle repair costs. Any collision which results in a fatality, personal injury or total property damage of $2,000 or more must be reported to the police in the jurisdiction where the collision occurred.
Crash Scene Reminder
When you arrive
If you are the first person at the scene of a collision, move off the road and stop. Offer any assistance if possible and protect the scene so that other vehicles do not get involved.
If you are going to notify the police, be as accurate as you can, especially about the condition of any injured people and the location of the collision.
- Keep a copy of how to help at a crash
in your vehicle for reference.
While the majority of collisions can be prevented with proactive driving, the fact is, they can still happen. Give assistance where you can and protect the scene so that no other vehicles become involved and:
- Exchange information with the other driver(s) record the names and addresses of all witnesses
- Exchange insurance details with the other driver(s) –review your company policy
- Record the time, location, weather and any other details that may be important
- Notify your insurance company as soon as possible
Be proactive and avoid collisions. Due to motor vehicle collisions, every day in Alberta in 2009 approximately…
1 person was killed
53 people were injured
431 traffic collisions were reported.
