Nov 25, 2008 - 03:20 PM

By Reka Szekely

DURHAM -- Durham residents will no longer have to wait for police at the side of the road, for hours in some cases, after getting into a fender-bender when a new centralized collision reporting centre opens in Whitby next year.

Instead, they'll be able to drive to the centre, where a police report is taken, the vehicle is photographed and the damage is assessed. Only Ajax and Pickering residents are now served by a reporting centre, which runs out of the Pickering police station. It has been operated by Accident Support Services International (ASSI) since 2004. ASSI is funded by the insurance companies and operates at no cost to the police department.

At a recent meeting, the police services board gave the go-ahead for negotiations with ASSI to expand the service to the rest of Durham. The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) is now negotiating a 10-year contract with ASSI that would have the company assume the cost of renovating part of the police building located on Rossland Road in Whitby across the street from Regional headquarters.

Deputy Police Chief Chuck Mercier told the board thousands of policing hours will be saved with the use of the centre, equivalent to several officers.

"Those are actually nine additional officers that we will have to respond to other calls."

Last year in Ajax and Pickering, the collision centre saved the equivalent of 2 1/2 officers worth of time. That centre will close when the new one opens.

"In today's environment, I don't think we have the business to operate two," said Deputy Chief Mercier. The vacated space will be absorbed by police who now operate out of the building.

ASSI runs 20 collision centres across the province, including centres in Toronto, and the system serves people well, company vice-president Bob Gutwein said.

For Ajax and Pickering collisions, police dispatchers are trained to direct people to the centre if they fit the criteria. Mr. Gutwein said some "repeat customers" already know to go to the centre.

"What we offer is a warm, safe, dry place for them to report their collision," he said.

Tow trucks can bring vehicles directly to the centre, simplifying the reporting process.

Officers will attend accident scenes where there are injuries or suspected criminal behaviour, including drinking and driving. As well, any damage of municipal, federal or provincial property, including things like street lights, will result in a police officer heading to the scene.

Otherwise, drivers have up to 48 hours to report to the collision centre and Mr. Gutwein said the most important thing for drivers at the scene of an accident is to exchange information so the centre can link the drivers if they come in separately. It also allows police to follow up if a driver doesn't show up.

"Make sure, make sure, if you don't ask them anything else, make sure they exchange their personal and witness information," he said, also cautioning against side deals that avoid police and insurance companies, since those deals can easily go sour.

Drivers can also call their insurance company from the centre, hastening the claims process. The police say insurance companies will only be notified of collisions if the drivers consent. However, Mr. Gutwein said his team informs drivers of their legal obligations when it comes to reporting accidents. In cases where a collision causes more than $1,000 in damage, drivers are obligated by law to file a police report and insurance contracts generally require them to report the collision as well.

ASSI expects the Whitby centre to open in the spring.