NCJ Number
140681
Journal
Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (1992) Pages: 95-110
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Data from the Illinois Department of Transportation for the January 1987 to September 1988 period were analyzed to identify various aspects of the roadside accident phenomenon for police and non-emergency vehicles.
Abstract
This exploratory study was designed to provide the frequency of roadside accidents involving police vehicles, other emergency vehicles, and large and small passenger cars in Illinois; to identify the types of vehicles involved in roadside accidents, the time of day, the accident location, and the frequency of injuries; to illustrate from prior literature the human factors assumed to be causal agents in both aircraft and roadside accidents; and to suggest precautionary measures for police agencies. The findings suggest that roadside accidents were most likely to occur when the road surface is dry. Police vehicles were at a greater risk of becoming involved in roadside accidents than any other type of emergency vehicle and were disproportionately represented, both as the vehicle struck and the vehicle causing the collision in the overall roadside accident configuration, as compared to other emergency vehicles. 4 tables and 22 references