Highlights Many studies have discussed the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) time to roadway crashes, but few on police response time. Quantitatively demonstrate the positive correlations between police response time and crash fatalities. Identify the significant factors influencing the police response time by regression analysis. Figure out the critical police agencies which respond slowly to crashes, and find many of them are affiliated to the Pennsylvania State Police.
Abstract Introduction: After roadway crashes occur, the quick emergency response is essential for minimizing tolls and economic losses. Many studies have analyzed the post-crash emergency medical services response time, but few ones have explored the post-crash police response time. However, the presence of police is the precondition for other agencies to perform their duties safely and smoothly. Method: With Pennsylvania crash data from 2008 to 2017, this study gives an assessment of the post-crash police response time in Pennsylvania. Results: First, we demonstrate that police response time is highly correlated to crash consequences: the longer police response time is positively associated with more fatalities at both individual level and county level. Then, for fatal crashes, a negative binomial model with the police agency-level random effects is built to identify the significant factors influencing the police response time. The results indicate that day of week, illumination, weather, area, roadway type, and roadway location could significantly affect the police response time. Police respond much slower to fatal crashes occurring in rural areas, mid-blocks, turnpikes, adverse weather, on weekends, and at nighttime without streetlights. Police response time shows a decreasing trend since 2016 and varies a lot by police agencies. It is found that many police agencies affiliated to the Pennsylvania State Police, which oversees statewide law enforcement on all interstate and state highways, respond slower than other police agencies. Practical Applications: These findings are expected to provide some new insights for Pennsylvania police agencies to improve their response mechanisms to roadway crashes.
Exploration of the police response time to motor-vehicle crashes in Pennsylvania, USA
Journal of Safety Research ; 80 ; 243-253
2021-12-07
11 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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