Spreading the Word About Reporting Vehicle Accidents Online

You know that thing your mom always says, ‘accidents happen’? She was right.  Of course, she was probably talking more about the milkshake spill when you were 5 or the fact that you sent a ranting work email to the wrong person the other day, *cringes for you* but still.

Did you know that human error (distraction, fatigue, etc.) accounts for anywhere between 85 – 90% of road accidents in SA? Car and environmental factors (we’re talking tyre bursts, failing brakes, poor lighting, infrastructure issues, dodgy weather etc.) make up the rest – particularly remarkable considering the poor state of our roads, if we’re being honest.

Anyway, back to that human error side of things – when it comes to driving there are two schools of people, the ones that are so safe they barely make it out of the garage and the others that use road signs as a suggestion and merrily sail down the center of the highway – no matter which camp you fall into, at some point you’re going to make a mistake or be on the receiving end of someone else’s (statistically speaking) – it’s just the nature of living in a country where 12 million registered vehicles race around the place, turning down their music to be able to see better, while texting on their phones.

On the road, these sorts of errors in judgement can unfortunately often be fatal, but in the interests of this article, we aren’t talking about anything quite so devastating, rather we are circling around the little incidents that are a massive shlep but the kind that you still make it to work after and grumpily mutter about for the rest of the week.

Indeed, post screeching stop, followed by tiny (almost anti-climactic) fender tap, or some similar situation, the dread that fills you when the adrenaline fades is less from the incident itself and more from the endless streams of calls and paperwork that you know you now have to engage in, and let’s not even talk about the trip to the SAPS to file the report. No, like, really, let’s not talk about that because we don’t have to do that anymore.

Of course, if you for some strange reason would prefer to be put out and have to wait at your local SAPS to draw sketches and try and explain stuff in the heat of the moment, have at it. But the rest of us will now be visiting the NaTIS online portal (https://online.natis.gov.za/crash/#/onlineCrashReport), where we can fill out a crash report and cut the SAPS step out of it. “Wait, wait. What are you saying Marshall?” We’re saying, the worst part of a minor accident, apart from the accident itself, is now no longer something you have to worry about. You’re welcome.

Reporting for Duty – The NaTIS Crash Report Process

Before we roll through how it all plays out, there are a few caveats to reporting your accident via the online portal — because of course there are.

1. If there have been ANY injuries to any parties – whether minor or serious, the platform is not for you. You will have to crack on old-school style and hit up the SAPS directly.
2. If this was a hit and run then once again, you will have to visit your local SAPS.
3. If more than 4 cars are involved (including your own) you guessed it, you will have to visit your friends at the local SAPS.
4. You have to file the report within 24 hours (or the next working day if it’s a public holiday or weekend)

Now, here’s the play-by-play of this free service.

1. Post incident/accident. Make sure you get as many details as you normally would.
   a) IDs of all drivers
   b) License and registration
   c) Witness names and details if applicable
   d) Photographs of the damage and cars involved
2. Visit: https://online.natis.gov.za/crash/#/onlineCrashReport and start filling out the report.
   a) Note: this report is legally binding
   b) Reporting is free but the retrieval of data may not be
   c) Submitted info can be made available to your insurance provider
3. Follow the prompts and supply as much information as possible.
   a) Include the details of all parties involved
4. You will be given the opportunity to review your report before submission.
5. The system will provide you with an automatically generated CRN (crash report number) for insurance claims – this will be sent via SMS.
6. You will receive a receipt of submission along with PDF summary, which can be downloaded as proof of submission.
7. Good to know. All parties can report the accident via this method and the system will automatically link the crash details based on registration numbers of vehicles involved and driver ID’s.
8. If you need to change any details post-submission, you will have to visit your local SAP, and fill out an official AR document and sign an affidavit stating why you are changing the submitted details.

This is like our country’s best-kept secret – an easy way to do something that’s usually frustrating and time-consuming when done in person. The portal has been available (brace yourself for this) since 2019 – great timing, actually, when you think about the COVID chapter of our lives – although one assumes it would have been even more beneficial if people actually knew it existed.

So, share this non-breaking news with everyone you know and assume the mantel of accidental hero (capes not included – you would look pretty silly anyway). Your people will definitely thank you at some point. Until then, we hope you all stay safe as much as possible. Never forget that we can help with that, in Case of Anything.