When they're on the job, a police officer’s safety is constantly at risk. It's an inherent part of being a police officer. They face real threats on the job. They're at risk of gun violence from offenders, overexertion from maneuvering with a duty belt or bulletproof vest, and exposure to dangerous chemicals. But a lesser known, hidden risk to police officer safety is responding on the road. 

Every day in the United States, first responders such as police officers must navigate congested highways and hazardous  roads to respond to traffic accidents, 911 calls, active crime scenes, and all other emergencies. Many members of the motoring public aren't aware of how much danger they face from just the other drivers around them. 

As we reported in the Cost of Collisions, an average of 12,200 roadway responses occur every day in the United States. During these responses, emergency responders face the constant threat of being hit, clipped, or collided with by passing drivers. Such collisions can result in costly vehicle repairs, injuries to police officers, or even fatalities.  

This article will explore the state of police officer safety every day, discussing circumstances negatively impacting law enforcement officer's safety and what solutions on the market are available to better protect these brave first responders. 

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Protecting law enforcement officers during a police officer shortage

NBC News reported in the summer 2023 that Goodhue, Minnesota Police Chief Josh Smith struggled to fill vacancies in his small department. Chief Smith went to his city council for assistance. He warned the council that, unless officer pay and benefits improved, finding new officers for the department would never happen.

Nothing changed, so he resigned. His remaining officers followed suit. That led to his small town of 1,300 to have to completely shut down its police force. 

This trend is not unique to Goodhue. The United States is currently experiencing a police officer shortage. Departments across the country are currently experiencing a police officer shortage. A 2022 Brother article showed stark trends. Two thirds of survey respondents stated that police recruitment and retention is the largest issue facing law enforcement. This is contrasted with the fact that the amount of police officers in service has decreased while the population has increased. This information came on the heels of a 2021 International Association of Chiefs of Police Survey on police retention and recruitment that uncovered the following statistics:

• 78% of agencies reported having difficulty in recruiting qualified candidates
• 65% of agencies reported having too few candidates applying to be law enforcement officers
• 75% of agencies reported that recruiting was more difficult in 2019 than it was in 2014

Despite these staffing shortages, the dangers of the job do not ease up. The remaining police officers are often tasked with increased workloads and mandatory overtime, which can lead to burnout and significantly compromise their mental well-being.

Without full staffing, some police departments may have to reduce two-officer units to one-officer units, which do not offer the same safety and reassurance to law enforcement as being paired with another officer. 

Distracted driving impacts police officer safety 

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, automobile crashes are the third most common cause of death for police officers, following gun violence and job-related illnesses. Struck-by collisions rank as the fourth most common cause of death for law enforcement. 

Traffic related deaths among law enforcement officers have been a persistent issue for decades. As we noted in the Cost of Collisions, "From 2006 to 2016, an average of more than one police officer per week was killed on American roads, either from a vehicle crash or from being directly struck by another vehicle."

Police1 reports that traffic-related fatalities decreased by 27% in 2023, with 37 deaths compared to 51 in 2022. Specifically, struck-by collisions dropped by 33%, from 15 in 2022 to 10 in 2023. While this decrease is encouraging, these deaths are entirely preventable. As long as law enforcement officers continue to die from traffic-related causes, the problem persists.

Also, these numbers don't account for  police officer injuries resulting from automobile collisions. Many of these incidents go unreported, making these statistics an estimate Nevertheless, they highlight the serious issue of traffic-related deaths and injuries among law enforcement officers, largely attributed to the rise in distracted driving in the U.S.

The state of roadway safety

Drivers on the road are more distracted than ever — but it’s not always their fault. While the temptation to scroll through texts and social media on phones is ever-present , drivers also face  external distractions within their vehicles. For example, newer models of cars have become more soundproof than ever. Some vehicles even have sound-deadening underbody shields or active noise-cancellation solutions. If a driver is listening to music, it may be nearly impossible to hear a police siren until it's too late.

The inside of modern cars offer their own distractions, too. Gear shifts and in-vehicle infotainment centers have become increasingly complicated and distracting, creating the potential for a driver to take their eyes off the road for just a few seconds too long.

The more distracted drivers become, the more first responders and roadway workers are at risk. Tens of thousands of collisions occur between regular drivers and emergency vehicles every year. 

In addition to the tragic loss of life , these collisions are costly. As the aforementioned Cost of Collisions states, The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) calculates that the average cost of a fatal collision involving a regular citizen is $11.2 million. This breakdown includes the average cost of emergency services, medical services, lost wages and fringe benefits, household productivity loss, insurance processing, workplace costs, legal costs, and congestion impacts. 

While a human life is undoubtedly worth more than an emergency vehicle, such incidents  have ripple effects. Repairing or replacing police cars can cost a department thousands of dollars, draining resources and leading to fewer officers on the road. This reduction in resources compromises community safety, contributing to a dangerous cycle that underscores the need for safer and more connected roads for both civilians and emergency personnel. 

The state of Move Over laws 

Move Over laws were designed to mitigate risk for first responders, such as police officers, by preventing collisions. These regulations require drivers to slow down and move over to provide  safe clearance for emergency personnel, roadside workers, and other incidents and hazards on the road.

The adoption of Move Over laws has been a gradual and state-specific process. States continuously expand and improve these laws to better protect first responders.  These expansions can include increased fines and harsher penalties, increased efforts in community education, and broader definitions for the vehicles and incidents that drivers should Slow Down and Move Over for.

Despite these efforts, challenges persist.  Discrepancies across state lines can create an uncertain and sometimes chaotic environment for emergency responders and all roadway users. As a result, while Move Over laws are crucial for the safety of first responders and roadway workers, they are not always sufficient when it comes to saving lives.

How to better protect police officers on the job

Police officer safety is lacking both on and off the road. Departments need to offer additional ways to better protect those who keep our communities safe. Here are some strategies to better protect police officers on the job:

• Build partnerships with members of the community: When police officers work in tandem with community members and organizations, they'll have a better understanding of specific challenges and risks in the area. For example, officers can develop relationships with various neighborhood watches across your service area to better inform tactics and approach to policing the community
• Study your own data on a regular basis: Talk to your IT team to ensure your team is regularly analyzing data like crime patterns and trends. With these numbers, your department can create targeted strategies to prevent crime and improve officer safety in areas of risk.
• Encourage officers to wear seatbelts in their vehicles: While this should be a given, police officers may unintentionally skip this basic safety step when they're rushing to their vehicles to respond to a 911 call. But  vehicle collisions are a constant risk for police officers, wearing seatbelts is one of the easiest ways they can stay safe. 
• Offer mental health resources: Mental and emotional safety is important, too. Police officers experience high rates of depression and burnout — especially compared to the general public. When an officer doesn't deal with stress or trauma properly, it can impact their job performance and, more importantly, their safety. Offer debriefing sessions and counseling after traumatic events to ensure officers are always in a good headspace. 
• Require officers to stay up-to-date on first aid training: Police officers put their lives on the line to protect members of the community. Make sure they know how to keep each other and bystanders safe from sudden medical emergencies. As TCS Unfitting says, "first aid training can help you stop bleeding, identify different types of acute trauma, and help keep someone alive until EMS gets there." Take a look at the Red Cross's website if you want to find virtual class or on-site courses near you.
• Implement public safety technology: Light bars and sirens are great tools to notify the public of your presence so they can slow down and move over for you. But with distracted driving and soundproof cars, they can only go so far. Public safety technology, like collision avoidance systems, can enhance your light bars to provide officers with a critical layer of protection.

Collision avoidance systems help police officers improve community safety

A collision avoidance system is a safety tool helps to prevent accidents and improve community safety by assisting drivers in the moments before an incident. Digital alerting is one of the most effective collision avoidance systems that first responders can utilize. Digital alert systems are electronic notifications sent directly to a driver.

Any alerting vehicle or asset can be equipped with digital alerting technology. These notifications inform drivers that there is a nearby or upcoming roadway hazard and they need to slow down and move over. 

Digital alerting goes beyond emergency vehicle preemption (EVP). While EVP gives emergency response vehicles a green light at intersections and a red light to conflicting approaches, digital alerting does not involve traffic lights. Instead, it notifies nearby drivers to temporarily slow down and move over when an emergency vehicle broadcasts a digital alert.

Safety Cloud only sends notifications when officers are actively responding 

Safety Cloud® by HAAS Alert is the leading digital alerting system built with first responder safety in mind. Safety Cloud sends drivers digital alerts up to 30 seconds before coming into contact with a hazard in the road. These messages notify drivers of an upcoming roadway hazard and prompt them to slow down, and move over. 

Once service is installed, you’ll automatically begin to broadcast alerts as soon as you activate your light bar. The motoring public receives alerts through compatible in-vehicle infotainment centers and leading navigation apps when an officer is nearby and actively responding. 

Drivers will not see an officer's location beyond that. Simply put, drivers are only alerted in the situations when a law enforcement officer needs to be seen — when there's an emergency and that officer needs the roads cleared for them. 

Once an officer switches off their lights and sirens, the vehicle will cease sending out alerts. Drivers will have no insight into police vehicles' locations at that point. Safety Cloud is not a GPS tracking service, but an advanced warning system to provide roadway clearance for first responders.

Installing Safety Cloud service is a seamless experience. You can activate it by installing a small piece of hardware in your vehicle or activate through platforms that you already use, like Whelen or ACETECH.

Safety Cloud digital alerting is an effective way to enhance the power of your light bars and protect your officers on the road. Download the Safety Cloud for Law Enforcement guide to learn more about the power of digital alerting.