Police officers here in Pennsylvania and elsewhere use their lights and sirens to warn other drivers of their presence or indicate that drivers need to pull off the road. Under certain circumstances, officers may break certain traffic laws if it is safe to do so. However, it is the responsibility of every officer to ensure the safety of everyone, which means that they cannot simply plow through intersections or drive at high speeds without always keeping the safety of everyone involved in mind.
For instance, a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police was recently involved in a crash that killed two people and injured three others, including himself. The trooper was responding to a call for assistance from another officer at the time. Reports indicate that he was traveling with lights and sirens on Route 422 westbound when his patrol car slammed into a vehicle. The impact caused both vehicles to collide with a third vehicle.
The two individuals in the first vehicle struck by the patrol car suffered fatal injuries in the crash. The two people in the third vehicle and the trooper all survived, but suffered unknown injuries. Those three were taken to a hospital in the area. At last report, the accident remained under investigation.
Determining fault could reveal that more than one driver bears some legal responsibility for the crash, but doing so could require an extensive investigation. Any evidence gathered pointing to negligence on the part of one or more drivers may result in an award of damages from a civil court. The victims and the families of the deceased victims may benefit from discussing the situation with an attorney who regularly advocates on behalf of those involved in car accidents.
