Improvements made to Edmonton's collision-reporting centres, operator says

Accident Support Services International collision reporting centre in Edmonton.

The Edmonton Police Service and Accident Support Services International (ASSI) say changes have been made to improve Edmonton's Collision Reporting Centres (CRC).

The centres opened in September, and drivers must now use them to report a crash instead of going to police.

“This was a big change in how Edmontonians are used to dealing with collisions,” said Kumar Siva of ASSI in a written release. “As with any new process, there is an adjustment period. In the months since opening, we heard from Edmontonians on how we can improve, and we’ve done an internal assessment to determine how we can continue to meet high demands and improve service delivery.”

ASSI says the following changes have now been implemented:

When the CRCs were opened, there were 25 staff members total for both centres. Additional staff have been hired, bringing the total number of employees to 60.

Wait times for each CRC are now posted online.

Changes have been made to streamline the process for tow truck drivers by implementing expedited towing lanes, which will allow tow truck drivers to be seen by staff as soon as possible so they can move on to other calls.

Additional kiosks have been added to the south CRC location, and renovation is happening at the north location to accommodate more drivers.

ASSI says drivers can expedite the reporting process by having all required documentation available upon their arrival, including driver's license, valid insurance, and vehicle registration.

Drivers are not required to report a crash on the same day during inclement weather.

ASSI says 19,000 drivers have reported a crash at Edmonton CRCs since the launch in September.