Albertans Have a Choice!

C-r-r-r-u-n-ch!

That is a sound no driver wants to hear.

Accidents happen, no matter how careful we are to avoid them.

Though we think we are prepared - we have bought the insurance, we have buckled our seat belts - the sound of that sickening thud is a shock, and suddenly we are at the side of the road wondering, "What am I supposed to do now?"

Police, insurance companies and consumer groups all agree the very first thing to do is make sure no one in your vehicle or the other vehicle is injured. If there is an injury, get them medical assistance immediately

If everyone is okay and the vehicles involved are movable, get them off the side of the road.

There is no point blocking traffic and creating a hazard. You have already been involved in one accident... you do not want to cause another.

If combined damage to the vehicles is under $1000 dollars and no one is injured, the accident does not have to be reported to the police, according to the Alberta Motor Vehicles Administration Act.

If the vehicles are not driveable, it is pretty much certain that the damage is over $1000.

If they are driveable, but you suspect damage may be over that amount, it is not necessary to call the police to the scene. If no one has been injured you can make the report to the appropriate detachment later, after you have obtained an estimate of the damages.

Before anyone leaves the scene of the accident, however, the most important thing you must do is exchange information with the other driver involved and any witnesses to the accident.

Your insurance company will require: the name, address and telephone number of the other driver; the name of his insurance company; and the policy number.

You should also note the other vehicle's make, year of manufacture and license number. Be sure you can describe the accident scene for your insurance company.

You might even want to make a sketch of the scene. Some insurance agents actually recommend carrying a disposable camera in your glove compartment in case of an accident, as photos of the scene can help prove or disprove liability in the event of a dispute. And disputes do happen.

While we are on the subject of liability, the Insurance Bureau of Canada recommends you do not admit liability to the other driver no matter what the circumstances. It is up to a claims adjuster to determine who was at fault.

One you have exchanged information you are ready to get on your way. You will need to report the accident by phone to your insurance agent as soon as possible. The agent will inform your insurance company, which will appoint a claims adjuster who will contact you.

The next thing you will need to worry about is getting your vehicle repaired.

Keep in mind YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHERE YOUR CAR GETS FIXED, although your insurance company has a right to set a limit on the cost of the repairs.

If you are driving away from the accident you will have a little time to decide where you want to take your vehicle, but if you need to be towed you will have to decide fairly quickly where you want to get it fixed.

Some consumer groups and even some insurance companies recommend you get two or three estimates before you decide on a repair shop, but realistically this is both impractical and unnecessary!

It is not necessary to get a variety of estimates. Practically every repair shop in Canada uses the same estimate guide to set their costs. It is known as the Mitchell Estimating Guide. (Another virtually identical version used by some shops is the ADP Estimating Guide.)

For example, if a door panel needs replacing, the cost should be the same, within a few dollars, no matter which shop you take it to. If you are not sure if the repair shop you are considering uses one of these guides, ask them.

The real variance in estimates is due to whether one shop suspects more internal damage than another. Remember... an estimate is just that. The full extent of damage can only be determined once the care is in the shop.

Of course, you will want to make sure the shop you have chosen is reputable and fully qualified to do the repairs. Since most of us do not need the services of an auto body repair shop very often how can you tell which shops are reputable?

One way is to ask for references from friends.

In Alberta, another way is to make sure the shop is a member of CCAR - Certified Collision Automotive Repair - a quality assurance program sponsored by ASRA and MDA.

An automotive repair shop must meet a lengthy list of standards and codes of ethics before it is certified as a CCAR member. These standards include having, on-site, the equipment necessary to repair today's vehicles to their pre-accident condition, paint application systems capable of reproducing the original finish, and on-going training for employees in the latest repair techniques.

In addition, CCAR members provide a minimum two-year workmanship guarantee and, should you not be satisfied with the completed repairs, CCAR will appoint an arbitrator to settle the dispute.

Hopefully, this is information you will never need to know. However, if that crunch happens and you find yourself standing at the side of the road beside your damaged car, remember, there are people and organizations whose job it is to provide fair and professional service to you when you need it most.

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