Sgt. Kerry Schmidt from the Ontario Provincial Police’s Highway Safety Division
Would you know what to do in the aftermath of a fender bender?
Accidents sometimes happen, oftentimes as a result of driver error, so it makes sense to know the do’s and don’ts should you ever find yourself involved in a vehicular mishap.
Safety is Priority No. 1
During a telephone interview just before the busy Labor Day weekend, Sgt. Kerry Schmidt from the Ontario Provincial Police’s Highway Safety Division informed Carpages.ca that safety is the No. 1 priority in vehicle accident situations.
So if anyone’s been injured after an accident, you or someone else needs to call 911 and, if necessary, phone for an ambulance as well.
Exchange Information
And then there’s the matter of exchanging data. If you’re in an accident, you need to exchange information with any other driver(s) involved. Details that need to be shared include insurance information, license plate information, names and telephone numbers, and driver’s license numbers.
“You need to stop and provide your information to the other driver,” stressed Sgt. Schmidt. “It doesn’t matter who’s at fault. You both need to exchange information.”
Collision Reporting
In Ontario, there are rule changes that you need to be particularly mindful of since they relate to the circumstances under which you are required by law to report a collision.
“There are changes that have come out since September 1 which now changes the limit for which a collision is reportable,” said Sgt. Schmidt. “It used to be $1,000 in damage. It’s now changed, and it’s $2,000 in damage. So there needs to be at least $2,000 in damage for it to be required for there to be a report. And that’s the combined damage for both vehicles.”
Don’t Clog Live Lane
Asked what errors motorists sometimes make that can worsen an already bad situation, Sgt. Schmidt said that one frustratingly big mistake that some people make after an accident on the highway is to leave their still-driveable vehicles in live lanes as they wait until the police arrive.
“One thing that we always see people doing is they sit there and they wait, blocking a live lane of traffic until police or someone directs them off,” he said. “What I want everybody to know…is if you’re involved in a collision and there are no injuries sustained and no allegations of criminal wrongdoing, you can take those vehicles, if they’re driveable, and get off the roadway.”
Pulling off to the shoulder of the highway, while better than blocking a live lane, is not really good enough. You should, instead, get off the highway completely — if possible — and park your car elsewhere.
“Go to a gas station, go to a parking lot — some place safe — out of the sight of other motorists so that they’re not slowing down and causing more congestion just to see what’s happening on the side of the road,” he said.
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