Permis PrêtWhat to do after a car accident in Quebec
What the Code requires of a driver involved in an accident, and the right moves at the scene.
Short answer: a driver involved in an accident must stay at the scene (or return immediately) and help anyone who is injured. If someone is injured, the driver must call the police. The driver must also give their information (name, address, licence, registration, insurance) to the officer or to the person who suffered harm. Failing these duties carries 9 demerit points.
The duties of a driver involved in an accident
| Duty | Section |
|---|---|
| Stay at the scene or return immediately, and give the necessary help to anyone who suffered harm | 168 |
| Call a peace officer (the police) if anyone suffered bodily injury | 169 |
| Give the officer or the injured person: your name and address, your licence number, the name and address of the owner on the registration certificate, the proof of insurance and the plate number | 170 |
| Collision with an animal over 25 kg, an unoccupied vehicle or an object: if the owner cannot be reached at the scene, call the nearest police station without delay | 171 |
Source: Code de la sécurité routière (Quebec’s Highway Safety Code), ss. 168 to 171. The owner of a vehicle that is completely destroyed must also notify the SAAQ without delay (s. 172).
Penalties
- Not staying at the scene, not helping, or not calling the police when someone is injured (s. 168 or 169): fine of $600 to $2,000 (s. 179).
- Not giving your information, or not reporting a collision with unattended property or an animal (s. 170 or 171): $200 to $300 (s. 178).
- In all these cases: 9 demerit points (Regulation respecting demerit points, schedule, item 2), far more than the 4 points that revoke a learner or probationary licence.
Leaving the scene of an accident is also a Criminal Code offence: a conviction leads to revocation of the licence (Guide de la route, ch. 1, “Les infractions au Code criminel”).
At the scene: the right moves
The SAAQ handbook describes what the first driver to arrive should do, as needed (Guide de la route, ch. 5, “Sur la scène de l’accident”):
- Pull onto the shoulder, about thirty metres from the accident.
- Turn on the hazard lights to warn other road users; flares can help.
- Ask people to warn other drivers, at a reasonable distance.
- Turn off the ignition of the damaged vehicles and stop anyone from smoking, because of the fire risk.
- Help the injured as far as your first-aid knowledge allows; otherwise, avoid handling them.
- Call the police, giving the exact location and the number of victims and vehicles involved.
The handbook is firm: never move an injured person unless there is a real danger of fire or of another collision.
After the accident: insurance and the SAAQ
- Injuries: the handbook recommends calling the police so an accident report is made, seeing a doctor quickly and filing a compensation claim with the SAAQ at 1 888 810-2525 (ch. 5, “Que faire en cas d’accident ?”).
- Property damage: liability insurance for property damage caused to others is mandatory. When at least two vehicles whose owners are known collide, each owner deals with their own insurer (ch. 5, “Les préjudices matériels”).
Key points for the test
- Stay at the scene and help the injured.
- Anyone injured = call the police.
- Animal over 25 kg, empty vehicle or object: if the owner can’t be found, call the police.
- Failing these duties: 9 demerit points.
Original questions with explanations and sources, “Highway Safety Code” section.
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See also
- The safety corridor rule
- How to yield to an emergency vehicle
- Demerit points and the learner licence
Official sources
- Code de la sécurité routière (Highway Safety Code, CQLR c. C-24.2), ss. 168 to 172, 178 and 179
- Règlement sur les points d’inaptitude (Regulation respecting demerit points, CQLR c. C-24.2, r. 37), schedule, item 2
- SAAQ, Guide de la route (4th ed., 2024, French), ch. 1, “Les infractions au Code criminel”; ch. 5, “Les préjudices matériels”, “Que faire en cas d’accident ?” and “Sur la scène de l’accident”
General information page, current as of 2026-10-28. If in doubt, the official text prevails. Rules can change: check saaq.gouv.qc.ca and legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca.