Do you need police at the scene of a motor vehicle collision?

• Call 9-1-1 if there has been a serious injury or fatality, or if a driver involved in the accident appears to be in violation of the Criminal Code (for example, intoxicated).
• Call the Police non-emergency line at 403-406-2200 (24 hours) if any vehicle involved in the collision is not drivable or if any driver involved fails to produce registration, insurance or a driver’s license.
• Call the Police non-emergency line at 403-406-2200 (24 hours) if any vehicle involved in the collision cannot be moved to the side of the road, and its position is likely to cause another collision.
• You are not required to call the police if the vehicles are drivable and the above factors are not applicable.

Do you need to report a collision to police after the fact?

You must make a police report after the collision if there is any injury, even a minor one, or if there appears to be $5,000 or more in damage. If you aren’t sure whether or not the damage is $5,000 or more, you can get an estimate first. Alberta law prohibits auto repair shops from repairing a vehicle with damage over $5,000 unless it has a sticker showing the accident was reported to police.

Exchange information with the other driver:

If you have a cell phone, you can use it to take pictures of the other driver’s registration, insurance and drivers’ license instead of writing out that information. If possible, take pictures that show the damage to both vehicles and the location of the collision.

Report the collision in person at the downtown detachment (4602 51 Avenue, Red Deer)

You will need to provide the information you exchanged with the other driver: registration, insurance and drivers’ licenses for the involved vehicles. You will also need to provide the damage to the involved vehicles and the location of the collision. You will be asked to fill out a Collision Report Form.

You are responsible for reporting the collision to your insurance company. Filing a police report does not mean your insurance company will be notified.

Reporting a hit and run

It is illegal to leave the scene of an accident, and drivers who do so will face criminal charges. If your car has been struck and the driver leaves without making an effort to exchange information with you, report the collision to the police. If possible, record the make, model, and license plate number of the other vehicle – partial license plates are also useful. If your car was struck while it was parked and no note was left, report the hit and run to police immediately.