What to do after a car accident in Ontario

At the scene, step by step

1. Stop. Every driver involved must stay at the scene, or go straight back to it, and help however they can.
2. Check for injuries. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, fuel is leaking or the damage is serious. Don’t move an injured person unless there’s a danger of fire; keep them warm and stay with them.
3. Make the scene safe. Turn on your hazard lights. If anyone is hurt or fuel is leaking, turn off the engines. Set out warning devices well back from the scene, if you have them.
4. Clear the road if you can. If nobody is hurt and the cars can be driven, move them as far off the road as possible. The Handbook calls it “Steer it, Clear it.”
5. Exchange information with the other driver (see below).
6. Take photos if it’s safe: the damage, the scene and the other car’s plate.
7. Report it to police if the law requires it, and to your insurer within seven days.

When you must call police

Report the collision to police right away if:

• Anyone is hurt
• The total damage to all the vehicles and property looks like more than $5,000
• A car door hit a cyclist or another vehicle

If none of those apply, you don’t need a police report, but you still have to exchange information. Damage to roadside property, such as a pole, sign or fence, has to be reported right away, whatever the amount. Not reporting a collision when you have to can mean a ticket and 3 demerit points.

Reporting a collision in Hamilton

Hamilton Police no longer come to collisions where there’s only property damage. Instead, you start a report online at reportacollision.com, then take your car to a collision reporting centre to finish it. If your car can be driven, you have 48 hours.

Mountain Station

• 400 Rymal Road East
• Phone: (905) 385-2426
• Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

East End Station

• 2825 King Street
• Phone: (905) 560-0510
• Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed weekends

Both are closed on holidays. The collision must have happened in Hamilton, and the car has to be there with you. Bring your driver’s licence, ownership and insurance. Staff photograph the damage and put a “Damage Reported” sticker on the car.

When police do come

• Anyone is killed or injured, or taken to hospital by ambulance
• Emergency or government vehicles are involved
• Dangerous goods are involved
• There’s criminal activity, a suspended driver, or alcohol or drugs
• The collision is blocking traffic, or the damage creates a safety risk

Need a copy of the police collision report later? Hamilton Police charge $50 plus HST, through the records office at Central Station.

What to exchange with the other driver

Every driver involved must give this information in writing to anyone who was hurt or had property damaged, to a police officer, or to a witness, if they ask:

• Name and address
• Driver’s licence number, and the province or state that issued it
• Insurance company and policy number
• The registered owner’s name and address
• The vehicle permit number

Hamilton Police also suggest noting phone numbers, the plate, make, model and year of each car, and the names and phone numbers of any witnesses.

Towing: know your rights

Tow and storage companies in Ontario must be certified by the province. Unless you’re in a restricted tow zone:

• You choose the tow company, and where your car goes.
• Before towing, the operator must give you their maximum rates and a list of your rights.
• You sign a consent form that names the destination. Don’t sign a blank one.
• You can see an itemized invoice before you pay, and pay by credit card, debit or cash.
• They can’t charge more than their published maximum rates.

Restricted tow zones cover stretches of busy highways in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, including the QEW from the Highway 403 split to Fifty Road. In a zone, only the authorized operator can tow you, and you choose where the car goes once it’s out of the zone. If you need a tow there, call 511 from a safe spot, or 911 if you’re stuck in a live lane.

Insurance: what happens next

• Tell your insurer within seven days, or as soon as you can. Reporting late can put your claim at risk.
• Your own insurer pays for your car’s damage under direct compensation (DCPD), based on how much of the collision was your fault. Since 2024 you can opt out of DCPD in writing, but then you can’t buy collision coverage.
• Fault is set by Ontario’s Fault Determination Rules, from 0 to 100%, not by who got a ticket. Being found 50% or more at fault is what usually raises your premium.
• If the other driver had no insurance, your policy covers damage to your car up to $25,000, minus the first $300, as long as the owner or driver can be identified.

Should you pay for a small accident yourself?

Ontario’s rules stop an insurer from using one minor at-fault accident in three years against your rate if nobody was hurt, the insurer paid nothing and you paid for the damage yourself. Since July 1, 2026, that covers damage of up to $5,000 per vehicle, up from $2,000. Ask your insurer how it applies before you decide.

Accident benefits changed in 2026

For policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2026, only medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits are mandatory. Income replacement and several other benefits became optional; if you renewed, you keep the benefits you had unless you declined them in writing. To claim accident benefits, tell your insurer within seven days and return the application within 30 days of receiving it.

If you’re charged as a new driver

A collision on its own doesn’t cost a G1 or G2 driver their licence, but a conviction can. For a novice driver, any conviction worth 4 or more demerit points, such as careless driving (6 points) or following too closely (4), brings a 30-day suspension the first time, 90 days the second, and cancellation of the licence the third.

Careless driving carries a fine of $400 to $2,000, up to six months in jail and a suspension of up to two years, and much more if someone is hurt or killed. Since December 2024, it applies in parking lots too. The demerit points guide explains how points and suspensions work.

Getting back behind the wheel

Feeling shaky after a collision is normal, even after a minor one, and even if it wasn’t your fault. Short drives on familiar roads at quiet times help, and so does practising with someone calm beside you. If the nerves don’t settle, lessons focused on confidence can make a real difference.

The nervous driver guide has more ideas that help.