Major Incident in New Church Road!

[Creaky]

During 2009/2010 police vehicles were involved in accidents where, in total, 26 people died.

In the same period there were just under 2,000 fatalities on Britain's roads.

So a police vehicle was involved in about 1.3% of all deaths on the road.

I wouldn't think 1 in 77 of the vehicles on the road are police vehicles although I may be wrong - if I am that means there must be about 450,000 police vehicles or 3.5 vehicles for every police officer!

The conclusion has to be that police vehicles are more likely than most other vehicles to be involved in a fatal accident - or at least they were 3 years ago.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

During 2009/2010 police vehicles were involved in accidents where, in total, 26 people died.

In the same period there were just under 2,000 fatalities on Britain's roads.

So a police vehicle was involved in about 1.3% of all deaths on the road.

I wouldn't think 1 in 77 of the vehicles on the road are police vehicles although I may be wrong - if I am that means there must be about 450,000 police vehicles or 3.5 vehicles for every police officer!

The conclusion has to be that police vehicles are more likely than most other vehicles to be involved in a fatal accident - or at least they were 3 years ago.

You MUST be Alistair Campbell with spin like that.

 

[Eksman]

Shocking drivers the police. Still, we'll pay for new toys for them to play with.

You're an idiot

 

[Creaky]

You MUST be Alistair Campbell with spin like that.

So what's your spin on those figures, (officially reported figures), which clearly show that police vehicles are more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than other vehicles in general?

 

[Stoo82]

So what's your spin on those figures, (officially reported figures), which clearly show that police vehicles are more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than other vehicles in general?

You should take into account the police will, on average, drive faster for longer.

 

[Creaky]

You should take into account the police will, on average, drive faster for longer.

I would agree that it is likely that speed would be a factor

 

[LamieRobertson]

Not like you to string 15 words together..... but still a shit post

nail on head there....wishing all involved a speedy recovery

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I would agree that it is likely that speed would be a factor

There are plenty of people on the roads who have no place being there and aren't competent enough to get out of the way. Or who simply don't have any road awareness. I wonder how many accidents Fire Engines get in?

If London's Burning was a guide, it happens.

 

[cloud]

Police chases are more unpredictable/haphazard than your typical fire engine journey, where they know exactly where they're going.

 

[Acker79]

So what's your spin on those figures, (officially reported figures), which clearly show that police vehicles are more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than other vehicles in general?

How are they defining 'involved' If they are chasing a car, and the driver of that car loses control spins off the road and dies, are they involved?
How many are the result of other cars being at fault and the police car happening to be one of the cars it collided with?
How long is a police car on a road on the road v another car? A car that is on the road for 7 hours a day is, by law of averages, more likely to be involved in an accident than one that is on the road for half hour in the morning and half hour at night.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

So what's your spin on those figures, (officially reported figures), which clearly show that police vehicles are more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than other vehicles in general?

Well of course they are.

They are on the roads twenty four hours a day, unlike your car. They are being used in situations that put significant pressures on the drivers, both in terms of the end goal and the reaction (or non reaction) of other road users to their presence. They are likely to be using their exemption to general traffic regulations (speed limits, red traffic lights etc) to that purpose, which presents an additional risk.

It's supposed to be a managed risk, of course it is, which is why they don't crash all day, every day, as opposed to what would happen if YOU went out and started driving at 55 in a 30 or going through red lights.

I would suggest that the fact police vehicles are more likely to be involved in serious crashes is a reflection of the law of averages, as much as the situations police drivers find themselves in or the (general) manner of their driving.

Not saying they're all perfect, of course they're not, but that statistic proves nothing meaningful.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

"Involved": police are regularly deemed to be "involved" if they've had any sort of encounter with a vehicle. Even if they lose a vehicle they're looking for and it crashes a couple of minutes later without the rozzers behind them, but someone does, the police would be "involved" and investigated for the purpose of statistics.

Or, if I'm en route to a job, and someone else's reaction to my blue lights causes them veer off & hit another vehicle (no contact with the police vehicle whatsoever, it's just passing) that would be deemed to be a vicinity police accident and is recorded as having police involvement despite the police car not colliding with anyone at all or being responsible the collision.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Shocking drivers the police. Still, we'll pay for new toys for them to play with.

You're curiously quiet after this comment.

The police are bound to be involved in more accidents than the average carriage. Probably something to do with high speed chases.

From personal experience, I've found 'professional' drivers to be the worst. Whether that be taxi or delivery. 'The roads are mine' type attitude. Pull over and stop wherever they like.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

There aren't actually that many "high speed chases" BoF.

But obviously lots of emergency calls to respond to.

 

[EDS]

The only time I have seen really dangerous driving from the police is when an unmarked car was coming down a one way street the wrong way and caused another car to hit into mine, then tried to get him to take responsibility for the accident

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

From personal experience, I've found 'professional' drivers to be the worst. Whether that be taxi or delivery. 'The roads are mine' type attitude. Pull over and stop wherever they like.

Prostitutes won't murder themselves you know...

 

[Barrel of Fun]

There aren't actually that many "high speed chases" BoF.

But obviously lots of emergency calls to respond to.

High speed chases should read chases.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Prostitutes won't murder themselves you know...

I'm sure they die a death every time a fat, balding truckie promises to rescue them.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

High speed chases should read chases.

No, I just meant there aren't many "chases" at all.

Plenty of incidents which might have resulted in police pursuing a car years ago simply don't now, because the risk vs possible outcome is deemed too great.

If the identity of offender is known, for example, it *might* be the case that going after his car when he's not stopped after being requested to do so is not appropriate, as he could be arrested at a later stage at home. So they let him go.

Then again if he's suspected to be pissed as a fart, it might not be appropriate to let him carry on, & other measures might be considered.

It's a constant assessment & reassessment of risk- to us, to them, to everyone else.

 

[algie]

Big cover up in 2005 at Gatwick Beehive where a police 4x4 ran a red light without lights on and killed a mother and injured her son in there car. The two police officers said they had trouble containing a drunk person in the back of there car and that they had there sirens going. Witnesses said this wasn't true. They got away with it.