Collision between police car and pedestrian - Hertfordshire Constabulary, September 2018

On 26 September 2018, at around 9am, officers in a marked Hertfordshire Constabulary car were leaving Cheshunt Police Station to attend a standard-graded incident. As the car came out of the police station, a pedestrian walked into its path and there was a collision. The pedestrian was taken to hospital, where he was treated for a broken ankle.

During the investigation, our investigators took an account from the police driver and reviewed technical data downloaded from the police car. We distributed witness appeal leaflets in the local area and undertook CCTV enquiries, both without success.

Given the low speed of the collision and the fact that the police officer driving the car was in the process of performing a standard driving manoeuvre (i.e. turning right into the far lane of traffic), we were of the opinion that the evidential criteria for dangerous driving were not met in the circumstances. We considered the offence of driving without due care and attention and were of the opinion the evidential threshold was not met for this offence either.

We were also of the opinion that the driver had met the key police driver principles listed in the College of Policing guidance.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence. We completed our investigation in December 2018.