As Canada is a very large city, so to drive through, people consider it necessary to own a car. Accessibility to a car may speed things up, whether you can choose to own a car for daily office work or you may also hire a car to have a visit across Canada. But it is critical to be aware of what should be done if you ever have an accident in Canada.

It’s wise to phone the police to inquire about filing report requirements and take safeguards. The police officer asks you about accident details. You have to complete the paperwork according to the directions. The police then do the required work or duty on the filed report and come out to conclusions. You also need to report to your insurer.

To drive in Canada, you must adhere to certain rules. If you have a valid license and are familiar with traffic laws, you’ll be ready for anything. But accidents occur every day. Please notify your insurance company about an accident. 

Let’s start now! 

Contents Show

What Is Considered A Car Accident?

Knowing what constitutes a car accident will assist you in deciding whether you have to call the police. A vehicle colliding with any other item on the road results in a road accident. This other item doesn’t relate to any other vehicle, but it may also constitute a person, a bike, a bicycle or any road object like a road sign or electricity tower.

Causes Of Road Accidents

Car accidents are caused due to three major factors:

  • Excessive speed.
  • Distracted driving.
  • Interruptions.

According to ICBC data, rush driving caused 28% of, drunk driving caused 23%, and distracted driving caused 29% of serious accidents in 2013. 

Canada Car Accident Statistics

Traffic crashes occur every day in Canada due to many reasons. Alberta meets about 385 accidents a day. The National Collision Database (NCD) of Transport Canada stores all the information about road crashes in Canada. 

Canada’s federal, provincial, and territory governments work together to enhance highway safety e.g. highway traffic act. So that the injuries and deaths are minimized and there may occur the healthiest and safest highways in Canada.

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2020 witnessed a minor decline in deaths and a considerable fall in injuries. Check out the statistics of the car accident in Canada:

  • In 2019, the number of car accidents was about 1762, but in 2020, it reduced to 1745 (1%).
  • The number of major injuries in 2019 was 8917, and in 2020 it reduced by 12% to about 7868.
  • The total and overall injuries were reduced from 140,801 to 101,572 by 28%.
  • People not wearing seatbelts met major accidents, and the deaths increased to 33.2% in 2020.
accident in canada

Drivers’ Duty According to the Law

Suppose you witness a car accident or you are directly or indirectly involved in that accident. You must:

  • Stay on the accident scene or if you have already gone, come again on the spot immediately unless a cop does not instruct you. Otherwise, you may submit a fine of about $400 to $2000. Your license may get suspended for two years. You may also have to spend some time in jail, depending on the nature of the accident.
  • Offer all practical aid if you see an accident.
  • If you are a witness, you must provide all the required information regarding that accident to the cop, e.g.;
    • The name and address of the driver, if you know any.
    • The operator’s license number.
    • Who’s the owner of the car?
    • A financial obligation certificate was issued in connection with that vehicle.
    • The license number of that car.

Accidents That Require Reporting To Police

You must submit a police accident report if the accident causes $2000 or above damage. There are additional circumstances in which you must submit an accident report even if the damage does not exceed $2000. So, why should you report an automobile accident? Here’s the reason:

Vehicle Collision With Unattended Vehicle

If you struck an unattended vehicle, try to locate the owner of the car or other property that was harmed during an accident. If you cannot do so, keep these things under your custody or put a note containing sufficient information like name or address in the driver’s car.

Wait for the owner to contact you. You must also report a file about this collision.

Vehicle Collision With Bicycle On A Highway As A Factor

Regardless of who is at blame, the first step when a bike or bicycle collides with a car is to ensure everyone’s okay. Despite wearing safety gear, cyclists are nonetheless more susceptible. If there are injuries, dial 999 at all times.

Then figure out if the cyclist is under 18 or has no insurance. Although insurance is not required by law for bikers, claim to an insurance company if they have insurance. Ask the biker to cooperate with the damage you hit.

If you hit your car with a bicycle, the same is valid for the bicyclist to do with his loss or damage. So be careful while driving.

Vehicle Collision With Property

If your car meets an accident on a property like a home or a piece of land, you may be eligible to file a claim reimbursement. The claim might state that the property owner was responsible for the incident and had adequate insurance or financial presence of mind to cover any awarded damages.

Slide, slip, and drop incidents are the most common accidents on private property. Many individuals have minor injuries; others sustain catastrophic injuries that might cause long-term discomfort, lasting impairments, and be late for work.

Vehicle Collision Involving Personal Injury, Death or Property Damage over $2,000

According to Ontario legislation, you must call the police immediately if an automobile collision occurred and resulted in injuries or if the car’s loss looks larger than $2000. In any other case, you usually have 24 hours to report an accident to the collision reporting center nearest branch. 

How To Report An Accident?

If the accident is minor, then just put your car on the side of the road and take long breaths to calm yourself. 

Call 911

If someone is in danger, then call 911 or the police. Sometimes, the car does not operate well or usually does not start after the accident. So, you must call 911 immediately to avoid traffic blockage. Police will soon reach out and file the report.

Report To The Police District Office

Report to the police district office when there are no injuries, and everyone and the cars are safe. The car in question, as well as the driver, must be present at the incident site.

Submit All Of The Necessary Documents

The complaint of collision involves the following necessary papers at the police station:

  • Driving license.
  • Registration certificate of your car.
  • Insurance documentation.
  • Data about the other vehicle and driver involved in the accident.

Check Out What To Do After A Car Accident (in Ontario):

How To File A Police Collision Report?

In Canada, especially Alberta, submitting a police report after a car accident is pretty simple. You can not file a report online. It would help if you went to the office. You’ll get an A-form, the Alberta Collision form used to record automobile crashes. 

You have to provide the following information:

  • The exact date and location of the accident.
  • Specifics about the accident.
  • Vehicle and driver’s license information.
  • A chronology of events.
  • An illustration of the accident.

Other Types of Accidents

Hit And Run Car Accident

Suppose you are the survivor of a hit-and-run car accident; call the police immediately. If you were present in the car during the collision, attempt to obtain the following:

  • The license plate of that car.
  • The vehicle’s and driver’s description.
  • The directions of flight of that car.
  • Never pursue the car by yourself. Call the police or visit nearby police stations.
  • Try to collect other information about the driver or vehicle that might help capture that driver or car.

Parking Lot Car Accident

Many believe that incidents in parking lots or on private property are not required to be reported. If any accident, minor or major, needs to be reported immediately. Apply the same criteria to decide if you report parking lot accidents.

Less Than $2,000 Damage But Still Needs To Be Reported

Even if the loss is less than $2000, you still need to submit an accident report under the following circumstances:

  • Someone has a serious injury.
  • A vehicle carries or smuggles hazardous materials.
  • Rush driving due to a stolen car or any crime due to drunk driving.
  • Any governmental car is involved in the crash.
  • A government vehicle or municipality faces a loss or damage.
  • The driver is driving without a license or car insurance.

A Pedestrian Or Biker May Involve In The Collision

The majority of pedestrian accidents and deaths occur in cities, on roadways away from junctions of greater speeds, and during night time.

Things You Should Do After A Car Accident

If you are engaged in an accident, you must take the following steps:

Stay On Scene: leaving the crime or accident scene is illegal. It makes no difference whether you are the reason or not.

Examine For Injuries: Inspect all the affected persons in the collision to discover whether they have been wounded. If they are injured, contact them for assistance right once.

Relocate Automobile Out Of Traffic: Shift your vehicles to the roadside so that vehicles and other drivers involved don’t face hurdles or delays in moving.

Call The Cops: If the damage exceeds $2000, you must call the cops immediately. 

Provide Information Of The Other Driver: You must collect sufficient information about the contact number of the driver and the car’s number plate. Capture a photo of the right things containing information or jot down the notes. 

Record: 

  • Information from other witnesses, like their contact numbers.
  • The policy numbers.
  • Insurance firms’ names.
  • License numbers.
  • Driver’s contact information.

Keep Detailed Records Of The Accident: Take photographs of all cars involved, record climate, and document the events leading up to the collision. This data is enough to report an accident.

Call A Tow Truck: If the car is not operable and can’t be driven, call a tow truck immediately.

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Visit Police Stations: When you go to the nearest police station, you must complete the report. An officer will inspect the cars and take pictures of the loss. 

Contact Your Adviser: After submitting the police report, contact your adviser. If required, they’ll assist you in completing the claims procedure. You must submit the facts about your car, the collision, the police report, and information about the other driver and car.

Consequences For Not Reporting A Car Accident

If you do not report a car accident, it may result in penalty points, fine, or in an extreme case, a prison sentence. The maximum penalties are $2000 or 6 months in prison. You’ll receive 7 penalty points on your driving history if you are convicted.

There is no reason to not report a car accident. As there are the following advantages of filing a report of a car accident:

  • Filing a report if you have the relevant details of the vehicles involved appears to be easy. You can have a copy of the police report of a car accident.
  • You are totally covered in the event of any legal complications emerging.
  • No one can doubt you, and these steps will prove that you are not responsible for the accident.
  • It helps to cover you from any insurance fraud.
  • Doing these legal things will provide you peace and comfort that you’ve done your duty.

FAQs

What Are The Types Of Accidents?

Car accidents are one of Canada’s leading causes of unintentional fatalities and injuries. Every motorist must be aware of the dangers of the highways. Moreover, you must follow traffic regulations and signs throughout your journey. 
Whenever you breach this responsibility of care, you endanger yourself and become accountable for the suspect’s loss. In most car accident circumstances, five incidents occur far more frequently than any other kind of accident:

Low-speed/Glancing Impacts
Never think that accidents can occur only at higher speeds. No! It is by nature and can occur at any speed. Even at a moderate speed of 20 to 30 Km/h, your automobile might be crashed in an accident and suffer a rear bumper.

These accidents are prevalent while exiting a garage or parking space. Most insurance claim them as a 50-50 responsibility accident.

Frontal Impact (Braking Malfunction)

Usually, front-end collisions provide the driver with more time to respond. So there are lesser chances of personal injuries in this type of accident. This accident can cause severe and sudden effects on our arms, shoulders, or hands.

Furthermore, these crashes inflict significant loss on your car since they impact the auto system, like the engine, gearbox, or radiator. These accidents can occur at any moment, and the causes may include the following:

– Traffic barrier
– Tree
– Another automobile slammed
– The brakes are in an unsafe manner.

You may get serious bodily injuries like structural injuries, displacements, and headaches.

Rear Impact (Rear-Ending)
As many drivers rush impatiently and meet many accidents, rear hits are equally as prevalent as frontal impacts. Many Canadian provinces have a ‘no-fault’ system which means you must establish that the second driver is responsible if you have injuries. 

Side Impact
These accidents usually occur when you try to run through a red or stop light. This way, you must collide with your window, door, or side walls. There is no cushion to shield drivers from the hit, so these incidents can result in the most serious injuries.

It is critical to obtain legal advice since damages sustained by these sorts of incidents can have serious implications. 

Intersectional Impacts
These accidents can occur in any way, making it hard to foresee and resulting in complications such as shock or spinal damage. The main cause of these accidents is stubborn drivers who try to drive through even chaotic traffic.

As traffic rules differ significantly in Canada, it is critical to get adequate legal assistance concerning road accidents or injuries.

What Are The 4 Main Causes Of Accidents?

Following are some detailed causes of road accidents:

Rush Driving
If you violate the speed limit and rush driving in any circumstance, it may cause serious and major accidents. Your speedy driving can threaten everyone on the road. Some choose rush driving as a habit, some get late from work or school, or any other issue. 

Always remember, ‘prefer to be late than to end up in an emergency in the hospital’ or unfortunately, your rush driving may cause the death of any other person on the road.

Driving Carelessly And Aggressively 
Some drivers grow hostile behind the wheel. A generally nice person might have a full attitude shift, becoming hostile and driving recklessly. Overtaking, rushing, inappropriate driving, disobeying speed enforcement systems, shifting from spot to spot, and other worst driving attitudes leave everyone on the road at risk of danger.

Highly risky driving usually occurs in Vancouver. So, be safe from these rude drivers and never act like them.

Weather And Highway Conditions
Weather conditions caused about 30 dangerous auto accident in 2013, so don’t ever drive too quickly in bad weather conditions. You have to slow down your car speed during heavy rainfall, but some drivers are also harsh.

You’ll meet catastrophic outcomes if you don’t obey the speed limits during snow or rainfall. And this can be quite dangerous for your car and your own health.

Driver Exhaustion 
According to ICBC, a startlingly high percentage of drivers, like 30%, have confessed to driving to dozing off while operating a vehicle. About 43% have acknowledged doing so while weary and tired. 

Because of our hectic schedules, we can’t have a balanced sleep cycle. If you are a drug addict, you can be more sleepy. Due to the increased number of long road journeys over the summer, accidents due to fatigued drivers happen more commonly. 

Distracted Driving And Texting While Driving 
Texting while driving can leave the driver, the travellers, and everyone else in grave danger. Today, mobile phones have occupied our minds and concentration totally. We need to be more mentally doing our work which needs to be done with a great focus.

So you don’t have an eye on the road and your drive when you concentrate on texting and answering an incoming call. The office workers deal with this issue daily, attending to every important office call.

Daydreaming, chatting and finding multiple components within your car are all driver distractions. You can reach somewhere else instead of your required designation just because of your distractions.

Why Must Accidents be Reported?

Because it is the law’s requirement!

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Your report against an accident is forwarded to the authorities in charge of Occupational Health and Safety (HSE) about major events and illness outbreaks. The authorities can determine the know-how of danger and if there is any need for further investigation.

The continuous reports of car accidents encourage these authorities to take action against road accidents to reduce deaths and injuries. Hence, it assists in the development of solutions to future problems.
Reports also aid in preventing accidents and illness and managing expenses associated with unintentional loss. You should report the following:

– Any actionable fatality
– Injury
– Injury in the workplace
– Any other hazardous event

What Is The Difference Between Incident Report And Accident Report?

Incident and accident reports are interchangeable since an incident can be an accident, and an accident is a type of incident. The main distinction is the acceptance of responsibility. An accident is assumed to be without fault, but an incident may occur due to any person or individuals.

Incident Reporting
Recording Jobsite incidents such as close encounters, fatalities, and accidents is known as incident reporting. It requires capturing all details relating to work area occurrences. Incidents are commonly defined as incidents or occurrences that result in job-related injuries or asset or infrastructure damage.

Accident Reporting
Accident reporting records any genuine or prospective relatively close accident loss to a person and any injury.

Conclusion

A wave of thrill must have gone through your veins after listening to road accidents. So avoid every major or minor accident and try not to involve in any road incident. Canadian traffic rules are quite tough, and you’ll have to pay for any loss or damage.

Learn all the road signs and practice driving multiple times to avoid accidents. If you have yet to make any point on how to report an accident, please feel free and ask us on OnTheMoveCanada to clear issues. Stay safe, stay healthy wealthy!