Sometimes getting police involved in car crashes isn’t always the most effective solution.
Prince George Mounties are steering rules in the public’s direction on calling for help after a crash, specifically for cases of minor accidents.
In a statement, RCMP say they’ll only attend serious collisions in the case of one of the following:
- SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH
- Someone has been injured and taken to hospital (usually via ambulance), or someone has died
- Minor injuries (cuts, scrapes, bruises, etc), or tissue damage (whiplash, etc), are not serious injuries in the purview of police response
- Seek medical treatment at a later time, but they’ll only respond to serious injuries where someone is being transported to hospital for immediate care, or where someone has died
- CRIME
- A Criminal offence has been committed, such as Impaired Driving, Dangerous Driving, Criminal Negligence, Police Pursuit, etc.
- Speeding, failing to stop for a red light and following too close are NOT Criminal offences.
- PUBLIC SAFETY
- If your vehicle is not moveable, blocking a major roadway, and the police are needed to direct traffic so that a second collision does not occur, police should be called
- A collision in a parking lot or on a residential street, do not meet this criteria
- A collision on a busy road, at the crest of a hill, or around a blind curve, are collisions that the police should attend to make sure that a second collision does not occur
Recently, police responded to two separate crashes, one on Ospika Boulevard near the CN Centre on Wednesday, and on 1st Avenue near the Yellowhead Bridge on Thursday.
.@PG_RCMP talking w/ drivers, passengers; multiple rear-end incidents, but no one is injured; 1-lane traffic NB Ospika | #CityOfPG @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/XzbeycM2t4
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) June 15, 2017
Both collisions involved parties where no one was hurt.
RCMP suggest and encourage everyone, should they be caught in the middle of a crash, to turn on your hazard lights, exchange insurance information, get all cars off the road as soon as possible, and to call ICBC’s 24-hour help-line at 1 (800) 910-4222.
Anyone with information on a traffic violation, you’re urged to call the PG RCMP at (250) 561-3300.
.@PG_RCMP clearing pick-up truck from CFI Steel on 1st Ave EB; no one providing comment, more details on incident | #CityOfPG @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/Zj3qHnpgCa
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) June 15, 2017