Alberta increasing mandatory crash reporting threshold from $2,000 to $5,000

A car with significant damage on its front end sits on eastbound Whitemud Drive near Quesnell Bridgge on Nov. 16, 2023, after a multi-vehicle crash. (CTV News Edmonton / Cam Wiebe)

Crashes with a damage value below $5,000 will not have to be reported in Alberta in the new year.

The Alberta government is increasing the mandatory reporting threshold from $2,000 to $5,000 as of Jan. 1.

The province said the change will free up police officers and staff to improve public safety.

"Thousands of traffic accident reports clog up our justice system and strains police resources," Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen said. "This is a common-sense change that will benefit drivers and police."

Crashes that result in deaths and injuries still have to be reported, the province said.

The carrier collision reporting threshold will also be increased to $5,000.

The last increase came in 2011 when the threshold went from $1,000 to $2,000.

Nearly 90,000 crashes were reported in 2021.

In September 2022, the Edmonton Police Service closed front counters for minor crash reports and brought in two third-party collision centres.