Patrolling police officers operating out of their cruiser have a wide range of duties to perform while behind the wheel. They scan their patrol areas, looking for suspicious activity, use their radio for communication, and operate their emergency activation equipment. Policing the streets takes specialized driving skills and careful attention to keep officers and the public safe on the road.
The SC Municipal Insurance Trust and SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund recently analyzed recorded vehicle loss data among their member municipalities to determine the root cause of emergency vehicle accidents. The study found that from 2019 to 2023, there were about six times more claims related to routine driving versus responding to calls, with total incurred losses of more than $14.7 million.
Police departments looking to guard against preventable vehicle losses should review their records over a period of years, and the cause behind each accident, to see if there are ways to improve how officers handle routine driving. When departments focus on the dangers of distracted driving and defensive driving training, they can help manage vehicle and insurance costs.
Numerous insurance claims can result from a single vehicle collision. One incident can generate
- a workers’ compensation injury claim, if the employee is injured;
- a first-party auto physical damage claim for the damage to the patrol vehicle;
- a third-party property damage liability claim for the damage to the claimant vehicle; and
- a third-party bodily injury liability claim for injured occupants in the claimant vehicle.
Each of these claims comes with meaningful costs. Not only can the collision result in premium increases, the injured officer may be out of work and the patrol vehicle will be off the road until it is repaired or replaced. The department may also face reputational consequences if its officer is liable for a collision resulting in serious injury.
Police departments should encourage their officers to eliminate as many unnecessary driving distractions as possible. Use of personal cell phones is a well-known distraction, but eating and drinking while operating the vehicle or adjusting controls that take the driver’s eyes off the road are other common sources of trouble.
SCMIT and SCMIRF members have access to an online LocalGovU course, “Distracted Driving for First Responders.” For questions on managing distracted driving or creating a strategy for driver improvement, contact losscontrol@masc.sc.