Online CRASH reporting

[thirdcrank]

The government is consulting on proposals to allow drivers to report accidents online.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new- ... -accidents

While this is dressed up as streamlining, I think it's something that needs watching because it could work to the detriment of vulnerable road users. First, it just seems like one more step down the road to the police not bothering at all with crashes: report completed online -> direct to electronic bin. Then, without stringent safeguards, it could be one more obstacle to detecting drunk drivers eg scarper "to get medical help" or some similar excuse, then fulfil reporting obligations online and lie low.

It's named with an acronym, CRASH - hence my thread title - but in reality it's Collision Reporting and Sharing System, which spells CRASS.

[reohn2]

CRASS by name and CRASS by nature,did I expect anything else from a failed regeme not worth a ....... (fill in with your own acronym)

[mjr]

As far as I know, CRASH is already being adopted by the police. It seems like a good idea to me to allow user reporting to move to the same system, rather than the current police-station-based paper form which then has to be rekeyed by police staff (usually not officers, I think).

I don't agree it's "one more step down the road to the police not bothering" because the current system already discourages collision reporting in a few ways, both in the need to go along and get a paper form and persistent allegations that people are told by station reception desks that cycling collision doesn't need to be reported, which may be strictly true but IMO misleading, discouraging and unhelpful. I suspect this will move us a step down the road to more accurate estimates of minor collision locations and frequencies... so brace yourself for a surge about a year after it happens and all the bike-bashing which usually follows!

[thirdcrank]

One thing I intended to include above but forgot was that the email address is roadacc.stats@dft.gsi.gov.uk ie this is perhaps led by broad statistical considerations, rather than improving action at the time of individual crashes.

The spin includes this:-

Our roads are among the safest in the world, in part due to the outstanding work of traffic officers.

A lot packed into that: a definition of safety based on casualty counting; and the outstanding work of traffic officers glosses over the difference between police officers - whose "traffic" presence is collapsing - and the employees of the DfT who now provide the main uniformed presence on motorways, with AFAK no role in enforcement or the investigation of crashes.

It's true that we might easily see support for the view that cycling on the road is dangerous: no cycling = no cycling-casualties.

One thing it will facilitate will be the continuing reduction in the number of staffed public enquiry counters.

[reohn2]

TC
Nail,head,on.

[gaz]

From tomorrow, in the event of a serious collision, new cars sold in the EU are required to be self-dialling, alerting the emergency services for you: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-mar ... ives-saved

[thirdcrank]

As this is still 31 March, I'll jump to the conclusion that that's genuine, rather than a japes. I do wonder if the vehicle will be able to answer questions such as "Have you exchanged names and addresses with the other driver?"

[MikeF]

From tomorrow, in the event of a serious collision, new cars sold in the EU are required to be self-dialling, alerting the emergency services for you: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-mar ... ives-saved

Hm!

[MikeF]

As far as I know, CRASH is already being adopted by the police. It seems like a good idea to me to allow user reporting to move to the same system, rather than the current police-station-based paper form which then has to be rekeyed by police staff (usually not officers, I think).

I don't agree it's "one more step down the road to the police not bothering" because the current system already discourages collision reporting in a few ways, both in the need to go along and get a paper form and persistent allegations that people are told by station reception desks that cycling collision doesn't need to be reported, which may be strictly true but IMO misleading, discouraging and unhelpful. I suspect this will move us a step down the road to more accurate estimates of minor collision locations and frequencies... so brace yourself for a surge about a year after it happens and all the bike-bashing which usually follows!

Surely that can't be true. Any injury collision has to be reported.

[thirdcrank]

So long as the conditions of s170 Road Traffic Act have been met, there's no requirement to report an accident.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170

If it were a fatal accident, then the usual duties to report any death would apply.