# PoliceOne Exclusive: Code calls: The biggest roadway killers



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

Nobody wants to talk about officer deaths by looking at bar graphs and statistics. Statistics can feel like a cold and inhuman way to analyze the tragic reality of the profession. But doing it can reveal part of the picture that isn't always acknowledged, the "elephant in the room" that is too often ignored.

In 2006, 50.6% of all officer deaths were vehicle related. This year, the statistic holds steady at 48%. Many of these fatal crashes occurred when the officers were using emergency equipment, and not surprisingly, the majority occurred en route to a call while driving at a high speed. That's right: Code calls.


In 2006 50.6% of all line of duty death vehicle-related. That 50.6% consists of the following types of deaths:








Automobile accident: *35 *
Motorcycle accident: *8 *
Struck by vehicle: *11 *
Vehicle pursuit: *3 *
Vehicular assault: *17*


Provided by Steve Weiss, Director of Research, The Officer Down Memorial Page









 


"Everybody talks about the danger of pursuits, but over the years, actually about 5% of officers killed in vehicle-related accidents have been killed in pursuits," said risk management expert Steve Ashley.
Ashley argues that, when it comes to officers' roadway deaths, pursuits are not the primary problem.

"In risk management, there is a relationship between frequency and severity," he said. "Certain things happen all the time and aren't that big a deal, and certain things, when they do happen, are really bad.
There tends to be an inverse relationship between the two (e.g., a lot of fender-benders and few fatalities) that rings true in everyday life. For instance, how many times do you walk across the bedroom in the dark, as opposed to how many times you stub your toe?


Full Article: http://www.policeone.com/traffic-patrol/articles/1352766/


----------

