Starting today, more fender benders, slight dings and other minor accidents will not require a police report.
The change to Alberta law raises the threshold for reporting an accident to police from $1,000 in damage to $2,000.
The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators recommended the change and Alberta is now the second province to adopt the new standard, following Quebec.
Martin Dupuis, a spokesperson for Alberta Transportation said the change simply makes sense because of the increasing cost of collision repair work.
“It hasn’t changed in almost 20 years actually,” he said. “Vehicle repair costs have gone up over the years and this will better reflect the current situation.”
Dupuis said the change would free up time for police officers and motorists when minor collisions take place.
“The enforcement agencies will not have to go through that process and neither will the motorists, for a very small collision.”
Cpl. Don Murray, head of the traffic section with the St. Albert RCMP, said the change should help free up officer time when they are not really needed.
“We get a large volume of minor collision on a daily basis, so it can be a real administrative burden on our officers who are assigned to investigate each fender bender.”
Murray said a small collision could be a hefty repair bill.
“The reality is if you have a new car and you take out a headlight or a taillight it can cost $1,000 to replace just that alone.”
He said anyone involved in such a minor accident should exchange insurance information with the other driver and can go to an autobody shop if they don’t believe the collective damage is more than $2,000.
They should also contact their own insurance company and exchange the information.
If the shop tells them the damage is more than that they can report it to the police after receiving the estimate.
The new regulation also only applies to non-injury accidents. If anyone is injured or killed in the accident, it must be reported to police.
