Comments on: What’s the Most Dangerous Thing About Being a Cop? Traffic

By: Forrest

Forrest — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:57:49 +0000

What would explain the difference between LEO fatality behind the wheel 15 years ago, compared to today? Is it the computers that are being put in police cruisers? Is it a more dangerous driving environment generally?

By: David Hembrow

David Hembrow — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:25:13 +0000

Sort of related, I read some years ago that sales reps for companies in the UK had a higher rate of death at work than coal miners. Again this was due to their exposure to the risk of driving. Sales reps are very high mileage drivers.

By: Opus the Poet

Opus the Poet — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:51:56 +0000

Part of the increase is because LEO spend so much time on the roads, which increases their exposure, and a big part is the amount of time LEO spend out of their cars on the roads. A major cause of the reduction in general road fatalities has been that cars are safer to crash in then ever before. The standard now is to drive into a concrete wall at 35 MPH, wait for the dust to settle, open the doors and walk away without a scratch. A person outside the car when struck @ 35 MPH has a better than 60% chance of death, and a certainty of serious injury requiring hospitalization.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:54:39 +0000

Interesting. I wonder what percentage of the collisions/fatalities resulted from driver error (vs catching badguys). Police often say they have the most dangerous occupation (which is not true) and that they put their lives on the line every day. Yet, if most on the job deaths are from car crashes that could be prevented (or have little to do with law enforcement), it would make a great case for a) more community policing with walking beat cops and 2) a more reasonable perspective on the role of police in the community