What to do in case of a collision

I pulled this off of an email that I received from the Alberta Motor Association and I thought I would share it: What to do if you have a collision Unfortunately, chances are that some time in your life you will be involved in a collision. Here’s a quick refresher on what you should do. The first thing you should do is evaluate the damage. Call the police if: Someone is hurt. You think any other driver may be guilty of a Criminal Code offence, such as driving under the influence of alcohol. There is significant property damage or your vehicle is not drivable. If there are no serious injuries, try to move your vehicle to the side of the road. If your vehicle is not drivable, be sure to turn on your hazard lights or use cones or flares to alert other drivers. Exchange information Then exchange information with any other parties involved in the collision. Obtain the names and contact information of other parties, passengers and witnesses involved in the collision. Also, write down any other details of the incident, including time, location and road conditions. To help you, the Insurance Bureau of Canada has developed a collision report form. Keep a copy of the form in your glove box so you won’t have to worry about remembering what to write down. If you don’t carry a cell phone with camera capabilities, keeping a disposable camera in your glove box can come in handy at a time like this, so you can capture a few photographs of the scene and any damage. Report the claim If the combined damage to the vehicles involved is over $2,000, you must file a Collision Report at a police station. Failure to do so could result in a fine or demerit points. You could also have difficulty getting your vehicle repaired. As of January 2011, auto body shops and auto wreckers are prohibited from making collision-related repairs or destroying a vehicle without a damage sticker. The sticker indicates that the collision has been reported to the police Protect yourself from hit-and-runs In 2012, there were over 7,400 hit-and-run accidents. Recently in the Edmonton Journal, an article on this growing trend was published to make you aware of a problem that seems to be increasing in Edmonton. Within the article a quote from Sgt. Kerry Bates suggested that as the cars pull over, one will just keep going and drive away. Bates recommends that you snap a picture of the licence plate. Source: Insurance Bureau of Canada Edmonton Journal Alberta Treasury Board and Finance