Quick answer: make sure everyone is safe, call 911 if anyone is hurt, take photos and swap details, then call a tow company you choose and decide where the car should go. Open your ICBC claim as soon as you can and keep the itemized towing receipt.
A crash is stressful, and the decisions you make in the first hour affect your claim and your costs. Here’s what to do, in order.
Do: put safety first
- If anyone is hurt, call 911 before anything else.
- Turn on your hazard lights. If the car can move and it’s safe, get it out of the travel lanes.
- If you’re on a highway and can’t get off the road, stay buckled in with your hazards on until help arrives.
- Remember that in BC, drivers must slow down and move over for tow trucks and emergency vehicles with flashing lights.
Do: record the scene
- Take photos of all vehicles, the damage, plates, the road and any signs.
- Exchange names, phone numbers, licence and insurance details with the other driver.
- Get contact details from any witnesses.
- Note the time and exact location.
Do: choose your own tow and drop-off
You don’t have to accept the first tow truck that shows up. Call a company you’ve chosen, ask for the total price before it’s dispatched, and decide where the car goes:
- Your mechanic or body shop, if you already have one you trust.
- An ICBC claim centre, if you want ICBC to assess it.
- Home, if you need time to decide and have space to park it safely.
Our accident towing service takes your car wherever you choose, on a flatbed, with an itemized receipt.
Don’t: leave the car in storage
Storage yards charge by the day. A car that sits for a week while a claim is sorted out can cost far more than the tow itself. Move it somewhere free as soon as you can.
Don’t: drive a car that isn’t safe
If a wheel is bent, fluids are leaking, lights don’t work or the airbags went off, don’t drive it, even for a short distance. Read our guide to signs your car shouldn’t be driven.
Don’t: forget the receipt
Ask for an itemized receipt with the date, addresses, distance and GST. You’ll need it if ICBC or another insurer is reimbursing you. Read does ICBC or BCAA pay for towing?
After the tow
- Report the crash to ICBC and open a claim.
- Share your photos and the towing receipt.
- Get a repair estimate from the shop or claim centre.
Need a tow after a crash in Greater Vancouver? Call or text 604-265-5888, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 11pm.