Preventing Law Enforcement Officer 

(LEO) Motor Vehicle Crashes 

Summary

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) 

may spend many hours operating 

motor vehicles and subsequently 

face increased risk of crashes compared with non-transportation industry workers [BLS 2022]. Transportation incidents are the most 

frequent fatal work injury by major event or exposure [BLS 2022]. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

provides several strategies for consideration to help reduce LEO motor vehicle crashes. These strategies include safe driving measures 

such as using a seat belt, avoiding 

unnecessary speed, focusing on 

driving, and reducing stress.

Introduction

More than 800,000 LEOs work in the 

United States [National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) 

2023b]. LEOs face many job hazards including physical exertion, psychological 

stressors, violence, motor vehicle crashes, and other risks to health and wellbeing. Besides spending numerous hours 

behind the wheel conducting patrols, 

LEOs have unique risk factors for motor vehicle crashes. These risk factors include driving in inclement weather conditions, driving in high-speed situations 

such as when responding to emergency calls, sleep deficits due to long hours 

and shift work, and distractions inside 

the patrol car such as mobile data terminals (MDTs). Motor vehicle incidents 

among LEOs (single-vehicle incidents, 

motor vehicle collisions, and motorcycle crashes) remain a leading cause of 

work-related death for LEOs [NLEOMF 

2023b]. Motor vehicle crashes are consistently reported as the leading cause of 

LEO traffic-related fatalities [NLEOMF 

2023b].

Description of 

Exposure 

“Motor vehicle crashes are a public health 

concern both in the United States and 

abroad. In the United States, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death, 

and kill over 100 people every day. However, motor vehicle crash injuries and

deaths are preventable” [CDC 2023].

According to the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund 

(NLEOMF), between 2012 and 2022, 553 

LEO deaths were due to motor vehicle 

Photo by ©fotokostic/Getty Images

incidents (automobile crash, motorcycle crash, and struck by vehicle). Automobile crashes accounted for 326 of 

those deaths (13% of the total officer, allcause, line-of-duty deaths) [NLEOMF 

2023a]. Taken altogether, these data 

equate to nearly one LEO death per 

week in the United States, on average, 

as a result of motor vehicle-related incidents [NLEOMF 2023a]. The NLEOMF 

states that more than half of these LEO 

motor vehicle related deaths occurred 

while the officer was carrying out administrative duties or on patrol in their 

assigned area and not while the officer 

was responding to an active emergency [NLEOMF 2021]. With proper safety 

practices, the risk of LEO motor vehiclerelated injuries and deaths can be reduced [Tiesman and Breul 2021].
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Lack of Seat Belt Use 

Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of officer on-duty injuries and deaths; the use of seat belts and 

supporting legislation are well-established as measures to 

reduce deaths [Evans 1986]. The NLEOMF reviewed motor vehicle crashes involving LEOs from 2017 to 2021 and 

found that nearly half (47%) of LEOs killed in motor vehicle 

crashes were not wearing seat belts [NLEOMF 2022]. 

Emergency Mode and Traffic Incidents

LEOs often travel in emergency mode to arrive at the scene 

as quickly as possible [Hossain et al. 2023]. It is a commonly held 

belief in the law enforcement community that faster response 

times lead to better outcomes. However, trying to get to an 

incident faster and taking more risks can result in a motor 

vehicle crash [Missikpode et al. 2018]. In an analysis of 2,406 

police vehicle crashes from 2005 to 2013, LEOs driving in 

emergency mode—using their lights and sirens—were 1.3 

times more likely to crash [Missikpode et al. 2018].

Stress Response

“Policing is a highly stressful and dangerous profession that 

involves a complex set of environmental, psychosocial, and 

health risks” [Baldwin et al 2019]. Under extreme stress, attention, perception, decision-making, and even physical performance can be severely impaired [Baldwin et al 2019]. In 

the policing community, this is commonly referred to as an 

adrenaline surge. Adrenaline is a hormone released seconds 

after being exposed to stress, fear, or dangerous situations and 

can quickly flood the body [Miller-Keane Encyclopedia 2003]. 

Officers are routinely exposed to stress and dangerous situations and may encounter the side effects of a stress response 

when driving a motor vehicle.

Distracted or Multi-tasking 

While Driving

While operating a patrol car, LEOs constantly process information from multiple sources including radios, cell phones, and 

MDTs or computers. They also must watch for motor vehicle 

violations and acts of crime. These competing responsibilities 

cause the LEO to be distracted, resulting in unsafe conditions. 

Although it appears that humans can multitask, studies have 

shown the brain rapidly switches between tasks and does not 

perform them simultaneously [Lin et al. 2016]. This applies 

to audio, visual, manual, and cognitive tasks. The brain has 

limited capacity, and when there is too much information, 

the brain decides what to ignore [NSC 2012]. 

Even when the driver is looking ahead, if the brain is occupied with something else (such as a conversation), the driver’s 

ability to detect or respond to changes and threats in their 

environment is reduced. For this reason, talking on either 

hand-held or hands-free devices reduces attention to the 

road [Strayer et al. 2013; Atchley et al. 2017]. Even when a 

driver’s eyes are on the road and hands are on the wheel, 

sources of distraction can cause significant impairments in 

driving, resulting in tunnel vision that can increase the risk 

of crashing [Strayer et al. 2013]. Increased speed reduces the 

amount of information a driver can take in and limits the 

time available to process information and take corrective actions [AASHTO 2018]. 

Fatigue 

Among LEOs, shiftwork and long work hours are standard practice to allow around-the-clock responses [Allison et al. 2022]. 

LEOs work nonstandard work schedules that may include rotating shifts, long-duration shifts, and overtime [Peterson et al. 

2019]. Long work hours have been linked with an increased risk 

of traumatic injuries and motor vehicle crashes among LEOs 

[Allison et al. 2022]. Driving performance is impaired if LEOs 

operate vehicles under sleep-restricted and fatigued conditions 

[James and Vila 2015]. 

Potential for Hazardous 

Road Conditions

Three elements of all motor vehicle crashes are the driver, 

the vehicle, and the roadway. The physical environment affects all three [Limpert 2016]. The driver can be affected by 

fog, sun glare, precipitation, and other conditions. The motor vehicle can be affected by rain, snow, ice, or mud. Water 

or ice can affect the brakes and/or tire traction. The roadway 

is mostly affected by weather-related conditions such as rain 

or snow, which affects tire-roadway friction. 

Surface friction or skid resistance—the force that develops 

between the roadway and tires of a motor vehicle—is needed to drive, brake, and negotiate curves.As a motor vehicle’s 

speed increases, the amount of friction needed to stop or prevent sliding increases. Adverse environmental conditions increase the probability of skidding [Donnell et al. 2009]. Each 

year, approximately 21% of all motor vehicle crashes are due 

to adverse weather, and 70% of weather-related crashes are 

due to wet pavement [FHWA 2020]. Water on roadways acts 

as a lubricant and can significantly reduce surface friction 

[FHWA 2020]. 

NIOSH FACE Cases

Investigations of work-related deaths are conducted using the 

Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) model 

[Higgins et al. 2001]. This model reflects the public health 

perspective that injuries and deaths are preventable. FACE 
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investigators collect information about the worker who died, 

and the physical and social aspects of the workplace and the 

incident. They collect this information on what occurred before, during, and after the incident through interviews, examination of the incident site, and review of documents 

such as medical examiner and police reports.

FACE investigators develop narrative reports that detail organizational, behavioral, and environmental factors that 

contributed to the death. The report provides a summary of 

the event, factors that contributed to the death, and prevention recommendations. 

NIOSH uses the FACE model to study LEO motor vehicle 

crashes. The following are two of the NIOSH FACE case studies that involved LEO motor vehicle crashes and show how 

speed, driver distraction, and road conditions can contribute to crashes. 

Case Study 1

On November 7, 2015, a municipal police officer was killed 

when her patrol car was struck by another law enforcement 

motor vehicle on a city roadway while responding to a “shotsfired” emergency response call.

The officer was enroute to her primary patrol when she responded to a shots-fired call from municipal dispatch. Multiple university and municipal police officers were working in 

the same vicinity and simultaneously responded to the call. 

As the municipal police officer was traveling westbound, running lights and sirens, she entered an intersection against the 

traffic control device. At the same time, a university police officer traveling northbound, also running lights and sirens, 

entered the same intersection. The northbound university 

patrol motor vehicle crashed into the westbound municipal 

patrol car. The municipal police officer died from injuries 

sustained in the crash. The university police officer sustained 

serious injuries. Neither officer involved in the collision was 

wearing a seat belt. 

From the investigation, contributing factors to the incident 

included (1) two motor vehicles entering the intersection at 

the same time, (2) the speed of the motor vehicles, (3) multiple agency and patrol car response, (4) potential adrenaline 

surge, and (5) poor line of sight at the intersection [NIOSH 

2018a]. 

Case Study 2 

On June 23, 2015, a state police trooper was killed when he 

lost control of his patrol car in a curve and was struck by an 

oncoming tractor trailer.

The state trooper was responding to a complaint of a reckless driver. The state trooper was wearing his seat belt. Using 

his cell phone, the trooper called dispatch to get an update 

on the location of the driver. As the trooper entered a curve 

in the road, he lost control of his patrol car, which rotated 

counterclockwise and crossed into the path of oncoming 

traffic. Seeing the out-of-control patrol motor vehicle, the 

driver of an oncoming tractor trailer applied his brakes and 

steered toward the shoulder. The patrol car spun, placing the 

driver’s side door in front of the oncoming tractor trailer as 

the collision occurred. The state trooper died on impact.

From the investigation, contributing factors to the incident 

included (1) motor vehicle speed, (2) use of a cell phone 

while driving, and (3) roadway conditions and/or weather 

[NIOSH 2018b].

Prevention Strategies for 

Consideration

As a result of the FACE investigation reports, as well as reviewing industry best practices, NIOSH provides the following considerations for law enforcement agencies to help reduce the risk of motor vehicle crashes and injuries: 

Increase Seat Belt Use 

Seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by 

about half [NHTSA 2000]. However, “Officers who decide 

not to wear a seat belt commonly think that there is a higher 

risk of not being able to exit the vehicle fast enough if needed 

than of involvement in a vehicle accident. Other officers feel 

that wearing a seat belt will impede their ability to draw their 

weapon when necessary. Both of these thoughts are false perceptions that can be addressed by training officers to exit 

quickly” [FBI 2014]. In addition, agencies and officers may 

consider practices and policies that increase seat belt use such 

as establishing or revising a standard operating procedure or 

policies that require all officers to wear a seat belt while operating or riding in a motor vehicle [Tiesman et al. 2019]. 

Reduce Unnecessary Speed and 

Increase Intersection Safety

LEOs face a higher risk of death and injury while traveling 

to a scene than at the actual scene [DHS 2019]. Driving at 

an unsafe speed may have an officer arrive on scene mere 

minutes earlier; however, speeding is a major risk factor for 

death in a motor vehicle collision [NSC 2023]. In addition, 

if a collision occurs on the way to a scene, responding to the 

collision may pull important resources away from the initial 

scene to attend the scene of the collision. 

Best practices when responding to an emergency can include proceeding past a red stop signal or stop sign, but only 

after slowing down, as may be necessary for safe operation 
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and clearing the intersection [Lexipol 2017]. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has a policy that 

law enforcement agencies may consider adopting on intersection crossing that requires drivers to come to a complete 

stop at traffic lights and stop signs during responses and proceed through intersections only after ensuring it is safe to do 

so [IAFC 2009]. 

Reduce Distractions While Driving 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving killed 3,522 people in 2021 

[NHTSA 2023b]. “Distracted driving is any activity that diverts 

attention from driving” [NHTSA 2023a]. At 55 mph, sending 

or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds, the 

equivalent of driving the entire length of a football field with 

your eyes closed [NHTSA 2023a]. “Any non-driving activity 

you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of 

crashing” [NHTSA 2023a]. Each state legislature and governor 

makes laws regarding distracted driving for the public. However, many of these laws exempt police officers and other first 

responders while they are working [James 2015]. 

Police officers are often required to use multiple electronic devices such as MDTs while operating a patrol motor vehicle. For 

MDTs, software is available to limit the number of functions that 

can be used while a motor vehicle is in motion. Although it is 

not possible to completely disable the MDT, limiting its use to 

functions that must be accessed (for example accessing calls and 

navigation) has the potential to mitigate the distracting effects of 

these systems [Hall 2020]. “Consider implementing similar policies such as those that restrict the use of cell phones while officers 

are engaged in driving tasks” [NIOSH 2014, 2022]. 

Increase Training

Task performance is expected to be improved by any form of 

practice; however, training strategies differ, and some strategies 

are more efficient than others at improving task performance 

[Kramer et al 1999]. Consider looking at current agency training 

policies and offering additional and refresher training for crash 

prevention. Training should emphasize the connection between 

speed, friction, and road conditions and motor vehicle crashes 

and the importance of seat belt compliance.

In addition, consider training on tactical arousal control techniques to enhance officers’ ability to combat negative effects of 

stress response that can occur when responding to emergency calls. To improve officers’ openness to these techniques, explain that these techniques are used by the highest trained military personnel, including US military special operation teams 

and the NAVY Seals [Marx 2013]. Consider having field training officers speak to the effectiveness of these techniques and encourage this behavior while on patrol. 

Suggested Citation

NIOSH [2024]. Preventing law enforcement officer (LEO) 

motor vehicle crashes. By Fowler M, Afanuh S, Hughes S, 

Tiesman H, Romano N, Funke J. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2024-105

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Resources

Alert International provides resources for LEOs, including a 

Law Enforcement Training Reference Guide. How to establish 

a training process, driving policies, and instructional guidelines and aids can all be found in the training reference guide. 

Below 100 is an organization with a vision to reduce LEO lineof-duty deaths to fewer than 100 per year. Their program has 

identified five initiatives, including speed of patrol vehicle, to improve officer safety. The program believes advanced driver training and awareness of the trends in preventable line of duty deaths 

will influence LEOs and reduce the number of fatalities. 

Drive to Survive is a training program that focuses on vehicle dynamics in relation to how and why crashes occur as 

well as topics for the safe operation of a police vehicle during 

routine and emergency conditions. The training is conducted using the same techniques used by crash investigators and 

includes roadway friction, critical curve speeds, hydroplaning, and other important topics. 

National Policing Institute: National Law Enforcement Roadway Safety Program provides a suite of no-cost training, technical assistance, and resources to local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies with the goal of reducing the number of 

officers seriously injured and killed on the nation’s roadways 

from officer-involved collisions and struck-by incidents. 

SAFECOM is a federal program managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that coordinates interoperability 

efforts. SAFECOM has developed key documents for baseline 

communications and interoperability standards for emergency responders, including a technical assistance guide and the 

interoperability continuum.
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For More Information

Find more information about the NIOSH FACE program 

can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/default.html

More information about Law Enforcement Officer Motor 

Vehicle Safety can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

topics/leo/default.html

Find NIOSH products and get answers to workplace safety 

and health questions: 

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) 

TTY: 1-888-232-6348 

CDC/NIOSH INFO: cdc.gov/info | cdc.gov/niosh

Monthly NIOSH eNews: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/

Mention of any company or product does not constitute 

endorsement by NIOSH. In addition, citations to websites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or 

products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the 

content of these websites. 

This document is in the public domain and may be 

freely copied or reprinted. NIOSH encourages all 

readers of the Workplace Solutions to make them 

available to all interested employers and workers. 

As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

NIOSH is the Federal agency responsible for conducting 

research and making recommendations to prevent work 

related illnesses and injuries. All Workplace Solutions

are based on research studies that show how worker exposures 

to hazardous agents or activities can be significantly reduced.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2024105

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2024-105

January 2024