Phone: (705) 360-8710
Fax: (705) 360-8711
Hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday In order to better serve clientele, the Timmins Police Service is announcing that effective Monday, April 8th, 2019, the Collision Reporting Centre’s new hours of operation will be from 08:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This new schedule will better allow for service delivery as these hours will coincide with those of TPS civilian staff.
The Collision Reporting Centre is a privately run partnership with the Timmins Police Service to better serve the needs of motorists involved in collisions. It is located at the Timmins Police Service headquarters at 185 Spruce St. N. Rather than waiting at the scene of a collision for an available officer to arrive, motorists can attend the centrally located facility; have their vehicle inspected by a qualified person, submit a self report about the collision and contact the insurance company all at one time.
How to Report a Collision
No injuries, damage under $2,000
If the damage to both vehicles combined appears to be less than $2,000 you do not need to involve the police. You should exchange your name, drivers license information, vehicle ownership information AND insurance information with the other party. If safe to do so, move vehicles off of the roadway prior to exchanging information. Make sure all information is complete and accurate. If the other party refuses to cooperate, call police for assistance. Once the information has been exchanged, you can make a civil agreement to fix damages or go through insurance.
No injuries, damage $2,000 or more
If the damage to both vehicles combined appears to be $2,000 or more then the collision MUST be reported to the police – through the Collision Reporting Centre. In this circumstance, police may not need to attend the scene. Regardless of whether this collision took place on a parking lot or roadway, it will be reported to the Collision Reporting Centre. Before leaving the scene for the Reporting Centre, ensure that you have exchanged your particulars (license, ownership and insurance) with the other party AND received theirs. This is a good time to copy down their license plate number as well. Police officers may attend the scene to assist in ensuring the safety of those involved until the scene can be cleared and the parties directed to the Reporting Centre. If vehicles are not drivable tow trucks should be called and they will take them to the Reporting Centre.
Injury Accidents (regardless of damage amount)
If the collision results in an injury or you believe that the other party may be under the influence of alcohol, police officers will attend AND investigate the collision at the scene. Always ensure your safety at the scene, get the names of any potential witnesses that might assist the officers and wait for police to arrive.
Motor Vehicle Collisions
All reports handled by the Collision Reporting Centre involve motor vehicle collisions. The Timmins Police Service is no longer investigating such collisions, except when there is injury or death, criminal activity (including alcohol), one or more of the vehicles are federally, provincially or municipally owned, one of the vehicles is transporting dangerous goods, or there is damage to private, municipal or highway property.
Police will attend to assist with traffic problems. In addition, police will investigate the collision when the circumstances are such that it would be a serious hardship to ask the claimants to attend police headquarters.
If a collision does not involve personal injury or a fatality, the police may direct the motorist to a Collision Reporting Centre (CRC) at the local police office. It is an offence not to report to the location directed to by the police – Fines range from $200 – $1,000 and three demerit points.
When to Report an Incident
In most cases, claimants are advised to attend police headquarters when the Collision Reporting Centre is open. However, claimants may attend at other times, in accordance with the situation. The hours of business are as follows:
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
About the Reporting Centre
Reporting Centres are intended to provide a service to the public within the context of community policing. We are all familiar with the “do more with less” theory. Police services are not immune to pressures facing everyone else. In order to free our resources to deal with emergency and serious incidents, it is necessary for the public to assist us by attending the station and completing reports for minor incidents.
In most instances where an insurance claim is a factor, there are substantial delays in having such claims processed by the insurer. Reporting Centres, because of their affiliation with the insurance industry, have had considerable success in reducing the average number of days required in the preliminary handling of claims. In addition, employees of reporting Centres provide information and assistance to claimants, and the digital photographs are helpful in settling claims without acrimonious arguments as to the extent of the damage.
What to Expect at the Reporting Centre
Employees of the Centre assist citizens in completing reports, whether or not they are interested in making an insurance claim. In other words, our citizens are assured of the assistance from someone, be it a member of the Timmins Police Service or the Reporting Centre, when they attend police headquarters for self-reporting purposes.
If at anytime you want police advice about a collision that has just occurred call 264-1201 for advice or 9-1-1 if it is an emergency.
Contacting the Reporting Centre
Employees of Timmins Accident Support Services Ltd. will be pleased to answer your questions.
You may contact them at (705) 360-8710 or fax at (705) 360-8711 during their regular business hours. Their email address is:timmins@accsupport.com
This service is at no cost to you! Participating insurance companies pay for our services.