Multiple Injuries in Car Accident Involving Police Vehicle in Houston
On Wednesday, February 6, a car accident involving a police vehicle occurred in northwest Houston, leaving multiple adults and teenagers injured.
Details Regarding the Accident
On February 6, at around 10 p.m., a Houston police vehicle was struck by a red car traveling westbound on 34th street. The police vehicle was transporting two juveniles and an adult at the time of the accident.
Both of the juveniles were taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. A female juvenile suffered an injury to her mouth. The driver of the red car suffered minor injuries to his arm. The police officer driving the police vehicle was not harmed.
It is still unknown why the accident occurred, but local authorities are continuing their investigation to see who was at fault.
Car Accident Statistics Involving Police Vehicles
Law enforcement is a dangerous vocation meant only for a select few.
Many hazards exist for our men and women in blue, including car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did an outstanding job in a 2011 report highlighting the dangers of motor vehicle accidents to police officers.
In this particular report, it was discovered that:
- Car accidents involving the death of a law enforcement officer (LEO) occurred more frequently between 8 p.m. and 4:59 a.m. On the other hand, motorcycle accidents involving LEO fatalities mostly happened during the daytime, between noon and 3:59 p.m.
- Collisions with motor vehicles in-transport led to 48 percent of LEO deaths in the 2000s, a decrease from the 1980s.
- Collisions with fixed objects (e.g. guardrails, traffic barriers, boulders, etc.) led to 41 percent of LEO deaths, an increase from the 1980s.
- Vehicle rollovers stayed around the 5 percent range throughout the last 30 years.
The report also detailed the manner of these crashes (i.e. the angle of impact) that caused the most fatalities among LEOs:
- Angled crashes made up 55 percent of crashes involving LEO fatalities.
- Head-on crashes contributed to 27 percent of crashes involving LEO fatalities.
- Rear-end crashes led to 13 percent of car accidents involving LEO fatalities.
- Side-swipe crashes made up 5 percent of the same type of car accidents.
Lastly, the report also noted that:
- Precisely 54 percent of passenger vehicle accidents involving an LEO fatality occurred in a rural area and 46 percent occurred in urban areas.
- 89 percent of motorcycle accidents with an LEO fatality occurred in an urban area. Whereas only 11 percent of these car accidents occurred in rural areas.
Have you or a loved one been involved in a car accident involving a police vehicle? Our car accident attorneys want to hear your story.
Car accidents are a traumatic experience to endure, regardless of whether you are a citizen traveling down the highway or a member of law enforcement doing your job. When a car accident happens, know that your Houston car accident attorneys at Lapeze & Johns are ready to represent you in your fight for fair and full compensation.
Source: ABC13
