In Ontario, you must report a qualifying collision to police as soon as possible after it happens, and you have seven days to notify your auto insurer if you plan to claim accident benefits.1Ontario. Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990, c H.82Ontario. O Reg 34/10, Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule Those are two separate clocks, and missing either one can cost you coverage, demerit points, or both.
The Police Deadline: As Soon As Possible
The Highway Traffic Act requires you to report a collision to police when anyone is injured or killed, or when the combined damage to all vehicles and property appears to exceed $5,000.1Ontario. Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990, c H.83Toronto Police Service. Collision Reporting The threshold covers every vehicle and every piece of damaged property together, not just yours. A minor-looking dent on your bumper can push the total past $5,000 once you add the other driver’s repairs, a damaged guardrail, or a cracked utility pole.
If anyone is hurt, call 911 from the scene. Police will attend directly. For collisions above the $5,000 threshold with no injuries, do not call 911. Exchange information with the other driver and drive to a Collision Reporting Centre to file your report.3Toronto Police Service. Collision Reporting
The statute says “as soon as possible” and does not fix a number of hours. In practice, treat that as the same day if the local Collision Reporting Centre is open. Waiting days invites questions about the accuracy of your account and gives your insurer a reason to scrutinize the claim. CRC hours vary by municipality, so check the schedule before you head over.
The Insurer Deadline: Seven Days
Reporting to police handles your obligation under the Highway Traffic Act. Your insurer is a separate matter. Under Ontario’s Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule, you must notify your insurer within seven days of the accident (or as soon as practicable after that) if you intend to claim accident benefits. Once the insurer sends you application forms, you have 30 days to complete and return them.2Ontario. O Reg 34/10, Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule
Accident benefits in Ontario cover income replacement, medical and rehabilitation expenses, and attendant care regardless of who was at fault. If you miss the seven-day window without a good reason, your insurer can deny those benefits. Even in a collision where you feel fine at the scene, injuries like whiplash and concussions often surface days later. Calling your insurer early preserves your right to claim if symptoms appear.
Property damage claims work on your policy’s own notification terms, but the standard expectation is prompt notice within a few days. Waiting weeks or months gives the insurer grounds to argue you breached the policy conditions, which can lead to a denied claim or cancellation.
The Two-Year Deadline for Lawsuits
Reporting is one clock; suing is another. Under the Limitations Act, you have two years from the date you discovered (or should have discovered) the claim to start a lawsuit for damages. For most collisions, that discovery date is the day of the accident.4Ontario. Limitations Act, 2002, SO 2002, c 24, Sched B
Two years sounds like a lot. It runs out faster than people expect once you factor in medical evidence, insurer negotiations, and retaining a lawyer. If you miss it, the court will almost certainly dismiss the claim regardless of its merits. Accident benefits claims follow their own timelines under the SABS; the two-year window applies to any tort claim against the at-fault driver.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadlines
Ontario treats failing to report and failing to remain as separate offences with different consequences.
Failing to Report
If a collision meets the reporting threshold and you never file a report, a conviction under the Highway Traffic Act carries a fine and three demerit points on your driving record.5Ontario. Understanding Demerit Points The points affect your insurance rates and can contribute to a licence suspension if you accumulate enough of them.
Failing to Remain
Leaving the scene without fulfilling your duties is more serious. A conviction for failing to remain under the Highway Traffic Act carries a fine, possible jail time of up to six months, and seven demerit points.5Ontario. Understanding Demerit Points Your licence can be suspended for up to two years.1Ontario. Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990, c H.8
When the collision involves bodily harm or death, the consequences jump beyond provincial law. Section 320.16 of the Criminal Code makes it a criminal offence to fail to stop after an accident when you know or ought to know someone has been injured.6Justice Laws Website. Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, Section 320.16 A criminal conviction creates a permanent record, can carry years of imprisonment, and reaches well beyond driving privileges.
Hit-and-Run Collisions
If the other driver flees, call police right away and file a report. Write down whatever you noticed about the vehicle: colour, make, model, direction of travel, and any part of the licence plate you caught. Ontario’s standard auto policies include uninsured automobile coverage under the OPCF 44R endorsement, which lets you claim against your own policy when the at-fault driver cannot be identified. The seven-day SABS notification rule still applies, so contact your insurer promptly even though you were not at fault.2Ontario. O Reg 34/10, Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule
Parking Lots and Private Property
A common assumption is that collisions off the public road do not need to be reported. The Highway Traffic Act’s reporting duty applies on any highway or place where the public has a right to drive.1Ontario. Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990, c H.8 Shopping mall lots, gas stations, and apartment complex driveways all qualify. If the combined damage exceeds $5,000, go to a Collision Reporting Centre just as you would for an accident on a public road.3Toronto Police Service. Collision Reporting
If you hit a parked vehicle and cannot find the owner, you still have to make a reasonable effort to locate them. Leave a note with your name, phone number, and insurance details, then report the collision to police. Driving off without leaving information is treated as failing to remain.