Phoena J.
2014-02-26 11:04:37 UTC
http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/24810514/metro-police-to-stop-responding-to-non-injury-traffic-accidents
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
The next time you're in a fender bender in Las Vegas, you might not
bother calling the Metropolitan Police Department.
The department on Monday announced it is changing its policy for
non-injury accidents.
The move is raising concern among motorists, specifically about
determinations concerning insurance and who's at fault for a particular
crash.
The Nevada Insurance Council already called the move a "poorly executed
plan" that could lead to safety problems and higher insurance costs.
Metro said it needs to prioritize given how many people lose their lives
on Las Vegas roadways, 114 last year.
"We thinks it's more critical we provide our citizens more enforcement
to reduce the number of traffic fatalities. Every time there's a traffic
fatality, there's two families: the one who lost their loved one and the
one who didn't mean to kill them," said Metro Capt. Mark Tavarez.
The policy change will go into effect on March 3.
"We think it's more critical to prevent fatalities than to investigate
property damage crashes where there are no injuries. Property damage
crashes take up to 55 percent of our time, about 250 man hours a week,"
Tavarez said.
The move comes on the heels of Metro shedding 30 traffic officers in the
past 18 months. Sheriff Doug Gillespie's attempts to increase staff by
way of the More Cops tax initiative have repeatedly been shot down by
the Clark County Commission.
"The cost is going to be passed on to the consumer. I think the
consumers and drivers of Nevada should really be livid. They pay their
taxes and have earned the right for police to come and investigate when
there's an accident," said Bob Campan with the Nevada Insurance Council.
Campan said that not only will revenue dwindle due to fewer traffic
tickets being issued, but bad drivers could wind up with the same
insurance premiums as good drivers.
"If one person is habitually getting into accidents, they won't notice
these accidents are being reported as non-injury accidents. You and me,
the average good driver, is going to just absorb the cost of insurance
premiums based on the lack of citations issued," Campan said.
Metro police will still respond to hit-and-run accidents or in the event
that someone will not exchange insurance information.
If the accident involves an injury, Tavarez said medical personnel will
arrive first to confirm that injury.
Nevada law requires drivers to report accidents to the Department of
Motor Vehicles within 10 days.
FOX5 legal analyst Bob Massi said the new policy could make it more
difficult to prove who was at fault in a minor crash.
Massi recommends you collect all the evidence you can. That includes
pictures, witness information and statements and vehicle information
such as make, model, color and license plate number.
"There's going to be a higher standard, higher amount of knowledge of
what to do at the scene of the accident as it relates to not serious
property damage, but maybe some injuries, but nothing to the point where
you can call the police," Massi said.
The policy change is far from unprecedented. In Reno and Carson City,
for example, police are not required to respond to non-injury crashes.
Police encourage drivers to thoroughly document property damage in order
to help insurance adjusters figure out who is at fault.
Copyright 2014 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
The next time you're in a fender bender in Las Vegas, you might not
bother calling the Metropolitan Police Department.
The department on Monday announced it is changing its policy for
non-injury accidents.
The move is raising concern among motorists, specifically about
determinations concerning insurance and who's at fault for a particular
crash.
The Nevada Insurance Council already called the move a "poorly executed
plan" that could lead to safety problems and higher insurance costs.
Metro said it needs to prioritize given how many people lose their lives
on Las Vegas roadways, 114 last year.
"We thinks it's more critical we provide our citizens more enforcement
to reduce the number of traffic fatalities. Every time there's a traffic
fatality, there's two families: the one who lost their loved one and the
one who didn't mean to kill them," said Metro Capt. Mark Tavarez.
The policy change will go into effect on March 3.
"We think it's more critical to prevent fatalities than to investigate
property damage crashes where there are no injuries. Property damage
crashes take up to 55 percent of our time, about 250 man hours a week,"
Tavarez said.
The move comes on the heels of Metro shedding 30 traffic officers in the
past 18 months. Sheriff Doug Gillespie's attempts to increase staff by
way of the More Cops tax initiative have repeatedly been shot down by
the Clark County Commission.
"The cost is going to be passed on to the consumer. I think the
consumers and drivers of Nevada should really be livid. They pay their
taxes and have earned the right for police to come and investigate when
there's an accident," said Bob Campan with the Nevada Insurance Council.
Campan said that not only will revenue dwindle due to fewer traffic
tickets being issued, but bad drivers could wind up with the same
insurance premiums as good drivers.
"If one person is habitually getting into accidents, they won't notice
these accidents are being reported as non-injury accidents. You and me,
the average good driver, is going to just absorb the cost of insurance
premiums based on the lack of citations issued," Campan said.
Metro police will still respond to hit-and-run accidents or in the event
that someone will not exchange insurance information.
If the accident involves an injury, Tavarez said medical personnel will
arrive first to confirm that injury.
Nevada law requires drivers to report accidents to the Department of
Motor Vehicles within 10 days.
FOX5 legal analyst Bob Massi said the new policy could make it more
difficult to prove who was at fault in a minor crash.
Massi recommends you collect all the evidence you can. That includes
pictures, witness information and statements and vehicle information
such as make, model, color and license plate number.
"There's going to be a higher standard, higher amount of knowledge of
what to do at the scene of the accident as it relates to not serious
property damage, but maybe some injuries, but nothing to the point where
you can call the police," Massi said.
The policy change is far from unprecedented. In Reno and Carson City,
for example, police are not required to respond to non-injury crashes.
Police encourage drivers to thoroughly document property damage in order
to help insurance adjusters figure out who is at fault.
Copyright 2014 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.
--
We Must Secure The Existence Of Our People And A Future For White Children.
We Must Secure The Existence Of Our People And A Future For White Children.