THE ROLE OF POLICE IN ROADSIDE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING

Roadside hazards are those features of the roadside environment which can inflict unnecessary damage to people or property should a vehicle leave the road surface for any reason, even momentarily, and impact with them. Roadside hazards account for a significant proportion of highway fatalities, injuries, and economic losses. For example, in 1973, about 1/3 of the 55,800 highway deaths were reported to have occurred because a vehicle collided with a fixed object on or along the road, rolled over, or otherwise came to grief after leaving the pavement. In spite of the pervasiveness and magnitude of the long- recognized roadside hazard problem, the ready availability of countermeasures, and the existence of federal laws and standards madating hazard elimination, the states have been slow in their efforts to remove roadside hazards. The identification and reporting of roadside hazards for preparation of an inventory is a major step in any practical roadside hazard elimination program. Highway agencies have a specific mandate to inventory and correct roadside hazards, but the police also have a responsibility to identify and report all hazards which may be harmful to the public--including roadside hazards. Furthermore, police are especially suited for the reporting of roadside hazards since they are required to patrol the highway constantly. However, there are few state police agencies that are actively involved in any formal roadside hazard reporting. A demonstration project was undertaken by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, with technical consultation and financial support from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, to examine the feasibility and utility of a program in which the police are engaged in identifying and reporting roadside hazards.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Association of Chiefs of Police

  11 Firstfield Road
  Gaithersburg, MD  United States  20760
• Publication Date: 1976-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 98 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Countermeasures; Fatalities; Hazards; Police; Roadside; Traffic crashes
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00148744
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 11 1977 12:00AM