Fender bender? Single car collision? Property damage crash?
There’s no longer a need for South Simcoe motorists to sit by the roadside for hours, while police complete a collision investigation.
The South Simcoe Police Service has partnered with Accident Support Services International Ltd. (ASSI), to open two new collision reporting centres (CRCs) – one in Bradford West Gwillimbury and one in Innisfil.
“The collision reporting centres will allow for better utilization of our officers’ time and will keep not only our members but the community safe, by removing collisions from the side of the road quickly and in an efficient manner,” said South Simcoe Police Chief Andrew Fletcher. “The centres also provide a safe and comfortable environment for members of the public to file their reports.”
ASSI has worked with police and insurers across the province since 1994 to provide collision reporting centres that offer convenience and knowledgeable advice and assistance to collision victims to lighten the burden for police.
The new CRCs are also funded entirely by insurance companies, and do not cost taxpayers a penny.
The new CRCs officially opened Jan. 8, one on the second floor of the South Division police station in Bradford, and the other at North Division in Innisfil, where a formal ribbon-cutting and launch took place.
Fletcher explained that for motorists involved in a collision, the start of the process will be the same as it has always been.
“Nothing changes for the people at the side of the road,” said Fletcher. “They will still call police (or 911) and we will walk them through where they go from there.”
Call-takers will ask specific questions relating to the collision, going over a checklist that includes severity of the crash, personal injuries, and suspicious circumstances, such as possible impaired driving. In some cases, an officer will be dispatched to the scene; in others, the drivers may be directed to proceed to a Collision Reporting Centre. A tow truck can be dispatched.
Motorists involved in a collision should still always exchange information, including driver’s licence and insurance details, and take photos, before leaving the scene.
With an average of 130 collisions per month in South Simcoe, the introduction of CRCs is expected to “save our officers hundreds of hours spent investigating these collisions,” averaging out to a projected 1,700 hours per year that can be redirected to improved enforcement, Fletcher said.
“But it’s more than just the time-saving,” he added. It’s a matter of safety.
Officers, motorists and tow operators can all clear the scene more quickly, completing collision reports in a “safe, dry, convenient manner, rather than sitting on the side of the road.”
He was quick to point out that “it’s all client-based. If the driver of that car says, 'I want to see a police officer,' we’ll send a police officer.”
Police will also hold the scene in the case of serious collisions or crashes involving injuries – but in other cases, the collision scene can be cleared much more quickly, and officers freed for other priorities.
The centres will be located at 81 Melbourne Dr. in Bradford (South Division), and 2137 Innisfil Beach Rd. in Innisfil (North Division), and will operate Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in BWG, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Innisfil.
Motorists can drive or have their vehicles towed to either centre, where a yellow box painted in the parking lot identifies where the vehicle should be parked. Trained CRC staff will help motorists complete the police report, photograph the damage, and apply a “Damage Reported to Police” sticker, before the vehicle is removed. A customer will also be able to contact family members and insurers from the CRC.
It’s not only convenient, said ASSI president Steve Sanderson, “it cuts down on the fraud and creative damage that sometimes happens." This is why CRCs across the province are funded by insurers.
Fletcher noted the one-year contract with ASSI is effectively a pilot project. Changes could be made, especially in hours of operation, as information comes in.
“We’re trying to be evidence-based,” he said, explaining that police looked at the peak hours for collisions in each municipality, over the past three years, before setting the hours.
Since the centres are linked, through ASSI’s technology, residents will be able to report to either the BWG or Innisfil centre, and possibly centres elsewhere.
“There’s so much flexibility built into it,” said Fletcher.
Helping to cut the ribbon at the Innisfil centre were ASSI staff and executive members, and members of both BWG and Innisfil council – who, in the coming weeks will be discussing their 2019 budgets. In BWG, traffic congestion and safety is among the town's top strategic priorities for the next four years.
“The goal is, take the time we’re sitting out (at roadside) and reinvest that time in proactive enforcement,” said Deputy Chief Robin McElary-Downer. “We know traffic is a No. 1 concern of residents.”
