A handy tool in a collision: IBC
SHERBROOKE, QC, Nov. 9 2009 – Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and the Sherbrooke police department (SPS) have joined forces to remind drivers how important it is to always have a copy of the Joint Report of automobile accident in their car and to use it when there is a collision with no injury.
It has been 30 years
The Joint Report first made its way into our glove compartments in 1979. “When you have a Joint Report, you don’t need to call the police for a simple fender bender. The Joint Report is a simple tool that you can complete easily if you’re involved in a collision in which no one is injured. It allows the parties involved to identify themselves and to report the accident to their respective insurer as quickly as possible”, noted Jack Chadirdjian, Public Affairs Director at the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
Well known, but little used
A recent SOM poll commissioned by IBC revealed that the public knows about the Joint Report. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) said they were fairly familiar or very familiar with it. However, it is not used very much outside of Montreal and Quebec City. In fact, only 28% of drivers have used it to report an accident with no injuries (compared to 58% in Montreal and 48% in Quebec City).
In fact, the Joint Report offers drivers two clear advantages: not only does it simplify claim settlement, it also speeds it up.
A strong presence
To publicize the Joint Report to drivers in the Sherbrooke region – and more especially to make sure that as many as possible put a copy of the Joint Report in their glove compartment – IBC and the Sherbrooke police department will make a mass distribution of the Report today and tomorrow, November 9 and 10.
“The Sherbrooke police force encourages drivers to use the Joint Report, which will allow us to allocate our resources more effectively where they are needed the most,” noted Martin Carrier, SPS Public Affairs spokesperson.
Members of the Joint Report Squad, highly visible in fluorescent orange clothing, will distribute copies of the Joint Report in a number of public places across the city.
Some misconceptions
The blitz is also aimed at clearing up misconceptions that drivers have:
I prefer to call the police for a collision; it’s safer that way
The SOM survey revealed that a majority of respondents (59%) believe – wrongly – that when the police are called to the accident scene, it is they who establish the liability of each party involved in the collision. In fact, it is the insurance company which determines its client’s degree of fault based on the Direct Compensation Agreement (DCA).
The Joint Report acknowledges liability
While almost nine in 10 drivers (88%) are right in affirming that the Joint Report identifies the parties involved in a collision, two-thirds (68%) are barking up the wrong tree by thinking that filling in the Report constitutes an admission of liability.
Each driver’s fault is established using the scenarios described in the DCA, based on the provisions of the Highway Safety Code and legal precedents.
Some advice
- Be forward looking – keep a copy of the Joint Report in your glove compartment.
- You’re not superstitious, are you? Fill it in advance. If you’re involved in a fender bender, this simple step will save you precious minutes.
- If no one is injured, remain calm and courteous. This will help make this formality easier. Remember that the Joint Report is still the best way to identify the parties involved as well as describe the circumstances of the accident.
- If the driver of the other car refuses to identify himself or herself, refuses to complete his or her section of the Joint Report or leaves the scene, write down the car’s licence plate number and call the police.
- Lastly, if someone is injured, even slightly, it’s important that you call 9-1-1.
For more information or to order your Joint Report Web site: www.infoinsurance.ca/JointReport
Insurance Bureau of Canada
Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national industry association representing Canada�s private home, car and business insurers. Its member companies represent nearly 95% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. The P&C insurance industry employs over 110,000 Canadians, pays more than $6 billion in taxes to the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and has a total premium base of $38 billion. www.ibc.ca.
