Fatal road traffic collision with police car - Warwickshire Police, January 2019

On 23 January 2019 Warwickshire Police officers were responding to an emergency incident with blue lights and sirens activated when a collision occurred with a woman crossing the road using a mobility scooter. Officers provided the woman with medical assistance at the scene of the collision and called for assistance. Medical professionals arrived to take the woman to hospital, where she later died.

During our investigation, we obtained a number of statements and reviewed evidence, including the report of an expert collision investigator.

Our investigation looked into the circumstances in which the collision occurred and considered the speed and manner of the police officer’s driving, and whether this was in accordance with local and national guidance and their training.

In our opinion, considering the information available to the control room at the time, the grading of the incident that the two police officers were responding to as an ‘immediate response’ appears to have been reasonable in the circumstances. We found that the police driver’s training was appropriate and in date. The police car was travelling in excess of the speed limit, at a peak of around 65mph in a 50mph area. This was within the maximum speed permitted for police drivers when responding to an incident, as detailed in the force’s policy. The accounts of witnesses described the police car being visible at the time that the woman entered the road. Evidence supported the officers’ accounts that emergency lights and sirens were activated. Evidence also showed that the police driver applied the car’s brakes when they saw the woman enter the road, but was unable to stop the vehicle before it collided with her.

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 August 2019, but waited until the inquest into the woman’s death had concluded, in February 2020, before publishing its outcome.