Report a Motor Vehicle Collision

Below are the complete details for all motorists to report a collision that has taken place in York Region. Please ensure you read through all steps to properly complete your report.

When to call 9-1-1

Call 9-1-1 to have police attend the scene if your collision involves:

Someone who has suffered an injury as a result of the collision
A criminal act, such as impaired driving
A pedestrian or cyclist has been hit
A commercial motor vehicle larger than 11,000 kilograms, a vehicle transporting dangerous goods, or a public transit vehicle

Eligibility to report a collision online

If your collision occurred in York Region and does not require police to attend the scene, you may report it online yourself.

Please note: Collisions occurring on a 400-series highway, such as Highway 427, 404, 400 or 407, must be reported to the Ontario Provincial Police. Collisions involving damage less than $5,000 do not need to be reported to police unless they meet one of the criteria listed above.

Reporting online

Step one

Calling the non-emergency line at 1-866-876-5423

A police communicator will be able to determine if your collision is eligible to be reported online and will assign you an incident number. You will need to share the incident number with all other motorists involved in the collision.

If another motorist involved in the collision has already obtained an incident number, record it to submit your report.

Step two

Gathering requirements to report

Ensure you have everything you need to submit an online report. This includes:

At least one photo of the resulting damage, or area of collision
- If possible, take as many photos as possible, both close-up and wide

A clear and legible image of the front of your driver’s licence
A clear and legible image (or PDF file) of your insurance slip, including the policy number; and
A clear and legible image of your vehicle ownership from the vehicle involved in the collision

Additional requirements

Please ensure you have an active email address so that police can respond to your request to report a collision and provide you with any relevant documents
Include as much detail as possible, as missing or incomplete information will delay the processing of your report
File attachments must be pdf, jpg, jpeg, png or tif formats only. Files must be 25mb in size or less.

Step three

Completing the online report

Submit a collision report online

Online reports must be completed within 72 hours of the time of the collision.

Please note: In order to protect your data, you will only be provided 60 minutes to complete this form. After 60 minutes, the information will not be saved.

Step four

After submitting a report

After submitting a report online, you should receive a response from York Regional Police within three business days.

If police require further details or clarification about the information you submitted, an officer will contact you by email before being notified that the report is complete.

What to do at the scene of a collision

Immediately after a collision

In the event of a collision, stay calm, don’t drive away. Assess your next steps.

If it is safe, move your vehicle to the side of the road
Be careful to avoid traffic when moving your vehicle or exiting from it
Do not leave the scene. Failing to remain at the scene is an offence that may cost you up to $2,000 and seven demerit points
If you can, check the well-being of other motorists involved
If police attend the scene, ask for the officer’s name and badge number, as well as the incident number assigned to the collision
Exchange drivers’ licences, ownership and insurance information with any other motorists involved

Towing your vehicle

If your vehicle must be towed, you should:

Understand that you, as the vehicle's owner, have the power to decide which tow truck operator to hire
Ensure there is an agreement on where the vehicle will be towed, what services are required and what the cost of those services will be
Ask for a cost estimate in writing
Only allow a tow truck operator to hook up your vehicle once you have hired its services

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I able to complete the collision report in a different language?

York Regional Police recognizes and values the diversity of our community. To ensure accuracy in the message you are conveying to us, we recommend using an online translation tool of your own preference so that the intent of your report is not altered inadvertently.

I am worried I will not be able to follow the steps to complete the report, if I have technical difficulties or questions throughout the report is there a phone number I can call for support?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your self-reportable online report, please contact the Collision Reporting Unit via telephone at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7700.

I want to make sure my collision report is completed properly. Is a collision reported online a true, complete and accurate motor vehicle collision report? I am concerned it won’t be what my insurance company needs.

Reporting your collision online is the exact same as reporting in-person at the Collision Reporting Centre, but much more convenient. The quality and integrity of the report does not change as a result of being an online report.

Do I get an electronic copy of the report after it’s been reviewed?

No, we do not disseminate copies of completed police reports. All requests for copies of police reports, including motor vehicle collision reports, are processed through our Freedom of Information Unit. Requests can be made through our website at www.yrp.ca, under Services > Obtaining Copies of Police Reports > Individual Requests.

Do you contact and submit the report to my insurance company for me?

No, York Regional Police does not notify your insurance company that a collision report has been made and does not submit a copy of the report on your behalf. Your insurance company may ask you to provide a copy of the police report but they can request this themselves through our website at www.yrp.ca, under Services > Obtaining Copies of Police Reports > Insurance Requests.

If I complete my report online, how will officers be able to assess the value of the damage sustained?

Officers are unable to assess the value of damage or estimate the costs to repair, as damage sustained in collisions can be complex and more in-depth than what the eye can see. This is the responsibility of your insurance provider. Taking photographs of the damage and uploading them to the report will document the damage.

I want the other driver charged. Does this report get investigated thoroughly?

Each reported collision is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Certain limitations can impact the viability of laying charges under the Highway Traffic Act. In some instances, an officer will contact you directly if they decide to lay charges after considering all relevant factors. Please be sure to provide a detailed description of what happened during the collision while completing the online form. If there are any independent witnesses, or dashcam video footage please advise accordingly.

If you believe the collision is a result of a criminal offence, i.e. Impaired Driving, do not complete an online report and call 9-1-1.

I completed my report online and now have more information to add. How can I update my initial report?

After completing an online collision report submission, you will have received an email with an attached “Driver Information Exchange Form” from the reporting officer.

If you need to provide an update to your report, simply respond to that officer via email to update information. Your reporting officer will contact you if any clarification is needed.

Can I have more than 60 minutes to complete the report online?

No. The online form is designed to time out after 60 minutes to protect your data, and the information will not be saved. Prior to beginning your report, we recommend gathering all required information such as photographs of the following: your driver’s licence, the vehicle damage, the vehicle ownership and insurance papers. We recommend acquiring the same information for the other involved driver(s) if possible.