Edmonton Collision Reporting Centres See Surge in Visitors

Due to icy conditions and the holiday season, there’s been an uptick in road accidents in Edmonton, leading to increased activity at the city’s collision reporting centres. These centres, which opened in September, offer a system where vehicles line up towards a dedicated garage. Here, the damage to the vehicles is photographed, and they are marked with stickers to confirm the report’s completion.

However, some visitors to the centre located in northwest Edmonton have expressed concerns about the procedure. These concerns mainly revolve around the time it takes to complete the reporting process, with some noting that what used to be a 15-minute affair can now extend to almost an hour.

Bibi Safi from Accident Support Services International, which manages these centres, stated that while there can be occasional delays due to external factors like snowstorms, the centres generally maintain a smooth flow. To help visitors gauge their waiting time, the expected wait durations are updated online. Most of the times, these wait times don’t exceed 45 minutes.

The main goal behind the introduction of the Collision Reporting Centres in Edmonton was to simplify the insurance claim process. However, there are some conditions on which accidents are reported at these centres. Unless an accident involves criminal activities, extensive property damage, or severe injuries or fatalities, it should be reported at one of these hubs.

Every year, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) attends to around 34,000 motor vehicle collisions. The two reporting centres managed by ASSI are located at 15750 116th Avenue and 5805 87A Street. After an accident occurs, drivers have a window of 48 hours to log their report at either of the two centres.