Police car crashes cost £600,000

Police officers have been involved in 361 accidents across Pennine Division since 2009 – an average of one crash every five days.

The total insurance claim cost of crashes, bumps and bangs to the division’s fleet of 90 vehicles was £614,129 in five years, according to statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Force chiefs have forked out £234,461 in repairs to police vehicles in the division which covers Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Between 2011 and 2012 Lancashire Constabulary was forced to pay £212,764 in insurance costs and nearly £50,000 in repairs costs after crashes involving police vehicles – the highest figure in five years. In Burnley alone there have been a total of 191 separate incidents reported where damage was done to police squad cars.

The figures show reported incidents range from small scrapes and dents to major damage costing thousands of pounds in repairs – including a smash in Vivary Way, Colne, in 2009 which caused £8,500 damage.

There were 35 reports of crash injuries – with one officer seriously hurt along the Edenfield Bypass in 2010 when the rear and side of the car was crushed.

Five reported bumps happened on Burnley Police Station car park and another nine just outside the yard in Parker Lane.

There were another 13 incidents where damage was caused to vehicles at police stations across Pennine Division.

Supt Damian Darcy, of Lancashire Constabulary, said: “The nature of police work means that police vehicles are on Lancashire’s roads 24/7 and respond to hundreds of incidents each day, and so, can be involved in situations where accidents can be more likely.

“For this reason, we ensure officers driving police vehicles are trained to the best possible standard, meaning that accidents involving police vehicles are relatively rare.

“We always have, and will continue to, monitor the police vehicle accident rate, and our Vehicle Maintenance Unit ensures we always get value for money when acquiring replacement parts.”