Do I need to report car crash to police?

Car accidents usually need to be reported to the police under the following circumstances:

  • If anyone is injured.
  • If any driver does not have documentation such as a driver’s licence, registration or insurance.
  • If one or more of the vehicles isn’t drivable.
  • If the total damage to all the vehicles and property appears to be more than $2,000, you must go to a police station and file a Collision Report Form. Failure to do so could result in demerit points or a fine. Note the file number the police have assigned to your report.
  • If you damage or knock down any traffic safety device, railroad sign or signal, a traffic signal of any kind, a parking meter or any public property you must report the damage to the police immediately, even if the damages are less than $2,000.


If the driver is not capable of making the report, a passenger should file the report, or the owner of the vehicle upon learning about the collision.

Auto body shops are prohibited from making collision-related repairs of more than $1,000 to any vehicle that does not have a damage sticker. The sticker indicates that the collision has been reported to the police.

Auto wreckers are prohibited from destroying a vehicle damaged in a collision without a police-issued damage sticker. These businesses are required to contact the police before doing any work on the vehicle if there is no sticker.

If you are not sure, then call the police. Better to be safe then sorry. It is an expensive ticket if you fail to report and accident and will impact your auto insurance. So good insurance advice is that it always is better to take the chance of irritating a policeman then end up on the wrong side of the law! It will not help your insurance premiums if you leave the scene or fail to report an accident.

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