Read ended a car in Canada, rental co want police report, I have CDW

[fishercod]

Hello

I rear ended a car yesterday. I’m English renting a car in Canada. It was in a motorway entry lane. We were stationary waiting for a light to turn and everyone in my lane moved off except the car in front of me, and I incorrectly anticipated moving forward and so rear ended him. I am entirely at fault.

There are the most minor marks from my number plate on the other car’s bumper and vice versa - similar minimal marks on mine.

What has got me scared is that the rental company want a police report as a matter of course. I am worried about being prosecuted for careless driving or something like that.

This probably seems like a disproportionate worry but I’ve been in one non fault accident in England and haven’t been in an accident abroad so am not sure how it all works.

The other driver called the police from the scene but I spoke to them and they weren’t interested and said if we are both fine and the cars driveable, to swap details and go on our way.

Can anyone let me know what will happen when I phone the police. Shall I just say exactly what happened as above and are they likely or to dock my licence or add points to it or worse such as prosecute, and even if not likely is it a possibility

As I read online that this may come under the category of careless driving.

Many thanks.

I think if the other party reported it to police then the police would have an incident number and would issue a report based on that. Basically it was a minor incident, nobody harmed blah blah.

At least that is how it would work in other countries.

Don't worry about it too much

Contact the police and get the report. All rental companies want a police report. Their insurers want to know that the situation has been dealt with and there will be no comeback on them. No rental company in the world can do anything to your license, only a court can do that. Points is something peculiar to the UK and as far as I know not recognized in the USA or Canada. The police have dealt with the situation.

Many thanks indeed. I just called the police non emergency and they insist they will not give a report as no one was injured and both vehicles were drivable. They told me to tell the rental company to ring them and they will tell them the same thing. I am pretty sure like you say the rental company will insist on a police report so not sure what to do now!

Do what the police advise then wait and see what happens. If the police wont give a report then there is nothing you can do about it.

Thank you I have let the rental company know and they are completing a loss damage report and noting that the police wouldn’t give a report.

The thing that concerns me now is that the other driver may subsequently report and experience whiplash. So although I called telling the police that no one was injured this may be incorrect if the other person subsequently has symptoms of injury. Yet I suppose as far as I know upon us both leaving the scene and me calling the police today, he is fine, so that is accurate.

I am not sure what good worrying about it is doing! Thank you all so much for assuaging some of my doubtless irritating worries.

Darling, take a breath and try to let go of the worry. You've done everything you should and no one was injured at the scene. Whiplash can take time to manifest - completely normal but will be handled by the insurance and is not something you can predict. You have insurance and this is what they are there for. Refer everything factually, do the same with the rental company.

Its a very emotional feeling, but its just a bump in the car, no one is hurt and nothing awful has happened, just a bump. Thousands of them happen every day.

What part of Canada, we visit the extreme opposites, bc and Ottawa, bc is my favourite? Ottawa is very flat.

What province are you in?

From what I remember it’s no fault insurance in Canada. You can’t get points etc on your o/s license. Just follow police direction and put the onus back on the hire company.

We have the same rule in the US, if damage under a certain amount and no injuries you don’t need police to attend and they no longer take reports after the fact either

Thanks so much for the reassurances, thank you @Redcherries that’s exactly what I needed to hear! I’d hug you if you were within hug-striking distance! I’m in BC. Looking to explore though if there are any tips! I actually want to drive around and explore a lot.

I think I’m going to buy a cheap car and insure with icbc as that way I’m not tied to a rental company and can start to travel further afield. Can I get something reasonable for around 3000 CAD or is that unrealistic?

I really want to go north up to the Yukon Territory and maybe east too but not sure how realistic this is.