Why do police/cars on the side of the road ALWAYS get hit by other cars running off the road?

Question

Seriously how many times have you seen "police dash cam footage" of them getting plowed over on the side of the road?

Answer 1

Humans, just like animals, move toward the direction they are looking. Try walking in snow or soft ground some time and note the difference in your foot strikes and how the foot on the side your looking natural points more to that side than it does when looking forward.
When you are looking at the side of the road you tend to steer in that same direction, you must make a effort to keep going straight. Add any relaxer to the body IE alcohol or other substance and that effort to becomes much more difficult. Plus there has been studies recently that show our eyes are more drawn to flashing lights (even more at night) add this all up and you can see why a lot of accidents occur on traffic stops with the majority with the drivers intoxicated.

All the more reason not to drink and drive.

Answer 2

Patrol cars don't get hit on the side of the road as often as passing motorists cause collisions because they are too busy rubber necking... "The Uh-oh Squad" strikes again.

When patrol cars do get hit from behind it is usually as others here have noted - moth to a flame, driving in the direction you are looking, drunks homing in on the lights, etc. I always cringe when I see officers standing between their car and the car they have stopped while they write a citation or run checks.

The best thing you can do as a passing motorist is maintain a safe speed (don't slow down to gawk, please), change lanes if possible to give the cars on the shoulder a wider berth, be aware of what other drivers are doing around you and look out for additional emergency vehicles that may be responding to the same location.

Answer 3

It is a well know fact that people will hit what they are looking at when they go "out of control". That's why you will see a vehicle hit a tree dead center, and the tree is the only one in the field.
We are trained to "look where we want to go" and not "look where you are going"
People tend to step on the brakes when they see a police car on the side of the road (because they are speeding) and if road conditions are bad then they lose control and of course, hit what they are looking at.
If you lose control of your vehicle, look ahead to the stretch of road you would like to continue driving on, not the ditch, there is a chance you might make it there.

Answer 4

"Rubbernecking". People not paying attention to the road anymore, but instead to the activity on the side of the road. It's the same reason why traffic slows down, even when the fenderbender has been moved completely off the road. People like to watch!

Answer 5

Most of the time the people that vere off the road are under the influence of alcohol or drugs so when they turn to look at the lights the car veres as well

Answer 6

People gawking. My husband was a state trooper and said that more than once he had to dive over the hood of the car to avoid being hit. Its a hazard of the job. But really, most people who run into patrol cars are either under the influence or gawking at what it going on and not watching where they are going.

Answer 7

Heads as a lot as people interpreting this question-- you want to click answer question to receive the completed link to the object His human rights were no longer violated, trouble-free and easy he broke the regulation and that delivered more beneficial interest than he needed to his immigration status. This come from someone who truly helps letting illegals placed life like paintings in route of having thier citizenship

Answer 8

The shoulder of the road is a dangerous place to be, but cops have to pull people over.

Answer 9

People get distracted by the flashing lights, especially drunks. I have dove many times over hoods to avoid being hit

Answer 10

It's the moth to the flame mentality. The pretty lights attracts moving vehicles.