You wouldn’t think that the technology that allows our police and first responders to do their job would also be creating serious risks of personal injuries, but according to an article in the New York Times today, the risk of personal injury is very serious and very real.
Police Computer Technology
Technology in police cars and ambulances is becoming more and more sophisticated, but many wonder if that sophistication comes with a price: safety.
While there is no official data regarding in-dash technology as it relates to car accidents, some law enforcement officials say that the technology provides great “potential for disaster.” And this can mean catastrophic personal injuries and even deaths from car accidents and collisions.
For instance, many of the states that have laws that ban texting while driving, exempt first responders. And we know from test data – distracted drivers are dangerous drivers. And this means that the likelihood that such a driver will suffer a serious personal injury or be involved in a car accident that results in a serious personal injury increases greatly.
According to the Times, some 75 percent of police cruisers have on-board computers, a figure that has doubled over the last decade. Jeffrey Lindsey, a retired fire chief in Florida, is quoted as saying that the technology is extremely beneficial in reducing response time. But he also stated, however, that very few first responders are properly trained to handle the distractions while driving.
