Members of the public who are involved in a motor vehicle collision are asked to come to our police headquarters to complete the appropriate forms. Assistance is available at headquarters for that task. If the Reporting Centre is open at the time of the accident, the claimant is asked to speak to the staff at the Centre.

In most cases, claimants are advised to attend police headquarters when the Reporting Centre is open. However, claimants may attend at other times, in accordance with the situation. The hours of business are as follows:

Monday through Friday 
9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday
12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Closed all statutory holidays

The Collision Reporting Centre handles all motor vehicle collisions. The Barrie Police Service is no longer investigating most 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. Arrangements have been made with towing companies to have the vehicle brought to police headquarters, whether it is immediately after the incident or sometime later when the Reporting Centre is open. Vehicles involved in the collision are photographed, and claimants are provided with copies of all necessary documentation in connection with their claim.

You should contact police immediately if your collision involves:

• Danger to motorists at the scene of the collision
• Personal injury
• Any criminal activity, such as impaired driving or stolen vehicles
• A government vehicle of any kind
• A vehicle which is transporting dangerous goods
• Damage to third-party property, such as a parked car where the owner is not at the scene
• Damage to private, municipal or highway property
• A pedestrian or cyclist
• An uncooperative driver

Furthermore, the Highway Traffic Act states that all motor vehicles collisions involving injury or death, where there is damage to highway property, and where the combined damage exceeds $2000.00, must be reported to the police.

1. Check to determine if the police must investigate the collision, as mentioned earlier.
2. If it is safe to do so, remove the vehicle from the roadway.
3. Exchange information with the other involved persons, including independent witnesses. Obtain names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance and vehicle particulars.
4. As soon as possible, attend with your vehicle to the Reporting Centre.
5. Bring your documentation with you to the Reporting Centre, i.e. drivers license, ownership, and insurance.

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 a claim. In addition, employees of Reporting Centres provide information and advice to claimants, and the digital photographs are helpful in settling claims without acrimonious arguments as to the extent of the damage.

The Reporting Centre employs professional individuals who have received extensive training in their area of responsibility. The person responsible for the Centre is Michele McLinden, Manager.

Employees of the Centre assist many citizens in completing reports, whether or not the claimants are interested in having the Centre process their claim. In other words, our citizens are assured of assistance from someone, be it a member of the Barrie Police Service or the Reporting Centre, when they attend police headquarters for self-reporting purposes.

Employees of Barrie Accident Support Services Ltd. will be pleased to answer your questions. You may contact them during business hours at:

Phone: 705-726-9225
Fax: 705-726-4628
E-mail: [email protected]