A Jan. 1 change to the Highway Traffic Act means the damage threshold requiring drivers to report a collision has increased from $2,000 to $5,000 to reflect advancements in automotive technology and the rising cost of repairs.
Waterloo regional police traffic division staff Sgt. Scott Griffiths said the threshold hadn't been updated since 2015 and is now better aligned with reporting thresholds in other provinces.
Waterloo Regional Police Service operates collision reporting centres on Maple Grove Road and Columbia Street in Waterloo that manage thousands of reports a year, he says.
The threshold only applies to collisions that don't result in personal injury or death, criminal activity such as an impaired driver or stolen vehicle, damage to private or public property, or involving a pedestrian or cyclist.
The dollar threshold refers to the total value of property damage to all vehicles and property in a collision.
Griffiths advises anyone who has had a collision and has questions to call the WRPS non-emergency line at 519-570-9777.
Collisions can also be reported online, or by visiting one of two Collision Reporting Centres.
Griffiths says drivers need to make their own determination whether to report a collision and drivers always have an obligation to report when more than one vehicle is involved, including cyclists or other moving vehicle, and someone is injured.
Another important consideration is jurisdiction.
Waterloo regional police are responsible for all local roadways except Highway 401 and Highway 7/8, also known as the Conestoga Parkway.
Collisions that occur on those highways and their exit and on ramps are under the jurisdiction of Cambridge OPP and must be reported to the collision reporting centre at headquarters on Hespeler Road.
The dispatchers operating the WRPS non emergency line at 519-570-9777 will assist drivers in determining where they need to go and transfer to OPP if necessary, Griffiths says.
Getting a vehicle to either collision reporting centre is dependant on whether it can be driven safely or requires drivers to arrange a tow.
Griffiths says any damage that hinders a vehicle's safe operation, including steering, brakes and lights have to be considered to make that determination.
A busted headlight, for instance, technically prevents a vehicle from being driven under the Highway Traffic Act, but police will generally overlook that type of damage if the vehicle can be otherwise be operated safely to get it to a reporting centre.
The province says increasing the threshold is anticipated to reduce the burden for Ontarians, law enforcement and commercial vehicle operators by eliminating the requirement to report minor collisions.
