From the Huntsville OPP
As of January 1, 2025, Ontario has introduced changes to the collision reporting rules, impacting how drivers must respond to accidents. Here’s a look at these changes and how they can affect you.
Ontario’s New Collision Reporting Threshold
The most notable change is the increase in the damage threshold for reporting collisions. Previously, drivers were required to report any collision to the police if the total damage to a vehicle exceeded $2,000. This has now been raised to $5,000. This adjustment aims to reduce administrative burdens on both drivers and law enforcement, acknowledging the rising costs associated with vehicle repairs and the inflation of property values.
When to Report a Collision to Police
- You must report the collision to the police if the total damage exceeds $5,000, if there are injuries, if public property is damaged, or if a criminal act like impaired driving is suspected.
- Even if the damage falls below the $5,000 mark, exchange information with all parties involved, including names, addresses, phone numbers, license numbers, and insurance details.
Immediate Actions After an Accident
The general process after an accident hasn’t changed, but it’s critical to keep the procedure in mind:
- Stay Safe: Ensure everyone’s safety first. If safe, move the vehicles out of traffic, turn on hazard lights, and if possible, set up flares or other warning signals.
- Exchange Information: Regardless of the damage amount, exchanging information with the other party(ies) is essential. This includes insurance, vehicle information, and personal details.
- Police Notification: You must involve the police to investigate if the collision involves personal injury, death, involves a pedestrian/cyclist, any criminal activity, a vehicle transporting dangerous goods, damage to public property, an uncooperative driver, or a train/light rail vehicle. For less severe incidents, you have 24 hours to report to a Collision Reporting Centre.
- Visit a Collision Reporting Centre: If the damage appears above the new $5,000 threshold, visit a Collision Reporting Centre within 24 hours rather than calling the police to the scene, or;
- To report an incident online, simply go to opp.ca and click “Report Online” – opp.ca/reporting.
The Huntsville OPP remind drivers and other road users they can significantly contribute to safer roads by avoiding taking unnecessary risks and complying with all traffic laws.
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Report if over $5000.0
Lets see, that would be one headlight and the emblem on the grill, maybe.
So does someone report based on a “guess” made at the scene by a non-professional?
Do you base the value on a new car dealer’s body shop, where everything is first class and a scrape on a fender requires a complete new paint job to ensure it all matches, or do you go see Bob in his garage behind the barn and see what he might charge to “make it right” and who is to say which offer to accept?
Maybe wait until it is repaired and we have actual costs on paper bills and then report if over the 5000, but that might take months before completion?
It’s a bit like when I was on the fire department. It’s 8 am, after we have just got home from an all night fire. The house is a smoking crater, frozen in ice. We had no idea what the house looked like before the fire or what was in it but the reporter is asking for the value of the “loss”. Like I’d know??? I just ran the hose!
We need to make rules and have expectations that are actually something that can be accomplished.
Otherwise it is just a shot in the dark guess and of course, if I’m wrong in my armature estimate based on experience from a decade ago I’m sure that by not reporting promptly there must be some penalty. Governments are good at penalties.
Acknowledge that the cost of repairs has gone up, and that the new threshold will reduce administrative and police burdens. That’s an appropriate gift from the provincial government to these agenciescies, however the piece that seems to be missing in the rational is that cuts to policing and police funding by the ford government are the toot cause of the work load burdens noted. Instead of a vote grabbing $200 cheque, put that money back into places where it is really needed in the province. Health care policies that attract doctors, policing, education etc etc.