LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
![Officer_Badge_Banner Police Officer Badge on uniform shirt](/niosh/topics/leo/images/Officer_Badge_Banner.png?_=57097)
Motor vehicle-related incidents are a leading cause of line-of-duty deaths for law enforcement officers in the United States – they are also preventable.1 From 2011-2020, 454 officers died due to motor vehicle related incidents (struck by and crashes) – 33% of all line-of-duty deaths (excluding COVID-19 deaths)2. It is important to promote motor vehicle safety among officers so they can stay safe while working to make communities safer.
What job hazards do law enforcement officers face?
![officers_circle2 3 officers icon](/niosh/topics/leo/images/officers_circle2.png?_=10253)
There are more than 750,000 state and local (excluding federal) law enforcement officers.3 These officers face many job hazards, including: physical exertion, psychological and organizational stressors, and health issues. Some behavior-related hazards that put officers at risk of a crash on the job are:
- Not wearing a seat belt
- Speeding, particularly through intersections
- Being distracted while using a mobile data terminal or other in-care electronics
- Experiencing tunnel vision from increased stress
Officer Struck While Assisting with Temporary Traffic Control on an Interstate, Texas
![--no title-- 1st page of FACE Law Enforcement Officer Report L2021-01](/niosh/face/images/mainpages/L202101_Page_01-thumbnail.png?_=96307)
Read the injury prevention recommendations to keep police officers and first responders safe while working on highways. (Report) and (Report Slides)
What do we know about law enforcement officer crashes?
![crash_car car crash icon](/niosh/topics/leo/images/crash_car.png?_=10252)
In the last 10 years, on average, an officer per week has been killed on our nation’s roads (2011-2020 = 50 deaths per year).1 Most years, motor vehicle-related incidents — including crashes and being struck by moving vehicles while on foot — are the main cause of death for officers. 2016 was an anomaly in that motor vehicle-related deaths came second to firearms. Since 2016, homicides have been leading cause of death.
From 2011-2020, excluding COVID-19 deaths:1
- 1,387 officer line-of-duty deaths
- 286 officer line-of-duty deaths due to vehicle crashes (21% of total)
- 114 officer line-of-duty deaths due to being struck by a vehicle (8% of total)
1National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund [2021]. Causes of law enforcement deaths
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