Road closure after fatality [Read only]

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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:16
Road closure after fatality [Read only] - ianhadden
Anyone know why roads are left closed for so long after a fatality?
I asked a policeman last night, following a fatality 3 hours previously, 1 child outside school & 1 car, his answer? "Well, wouldn't you want the road closed after your child was killed?".
So the road is closed as a sign of respect? Or to punish other road users?

Edited by Pugugly on 14/11/2009 at 11:36

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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:21
Road closure after fatality - Armitage Shanks {p}
No - it is closed to enable a full investigation of the accident to take place. This includes, but is not limited to, making a very accurate plan of the scene often using laser measuring equipment and photographing the positions of all objects and vehicles involved. I am not too happy when a motorway is closed for 6 hours but it is the blame/nanny society we have developed. It is crime scene, in the final analysis

Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 14/11/2009 at 10:22

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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:33
Road closure after fatality - Manatee
it is the blame/nanny society we have developed


It's not a blame/nanny thing to take a fatality seriously is it? We are all inconvenienced by road closures but a moment's thought should make us thankful that we are merely delayed, and not killed or bereaved.

Edited by Manatee on 14/11/2009 at 10:34

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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:23
Road closure after fatality - a900ss
Or to punish other road
users?


I really do think that you should be more respectful of the friends and family of the deceased.

No 'punishment' is being given. An inconvenience maybe but at least you will still be able to complete your journey.

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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:28
Road closure after fatality - Berisford
I really do think that you should be more respectful of the friends and family
of the deceased.


I wondered how long it would take.

It must be getting very crowded up there on that high ground!

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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:28
Road closure after fatality - moonshine
A child being killed is a serious event, for those involved it will be a heartbreaking and tragic time. For everyone else, a bit of inconvienience. Let them close the road for as long as it takes, in my opinion.
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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:35
Road closure after fatality - Andrew-T
Without wishing to sound simply callous, may I say that it sounds a mite hypocritical when the driving public, many of whom sit behind their wheels not giving much of a toss for anyone else on the road, are suddenly expected to become piously respectful of the dead and bereaved on those sad occasions. Of course the scene of the accident should be recorded; the authorities just seem to make a huge meal of it sometimes.
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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:26
Road closure after fatality - Manatee
This has been discussed endlessly.

I'm sure that if your child had been killed you would expect the police to record all the evidence available to establish exactly what happened, before worrying about getting the traffic moving.
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Sat 14 Nov 2009 10:51
Road closure after fatality - Altea Ego
I asked a policeman last night following a fatality 3 hours previously 1 child outside
school & 1 car his answer? "Well wouldn't you want the road closed after your
child was killed?".
So the road is closed as a sign of respect? Or to punish other road
users?


Are you sure you made it quite clear that you pay his wages, and you pay your road tax and demanded that he open the road immediatley for your passage?
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Sat 14 Nov 2009 11:16
Road closure after fatality - Armitage Shanks {p}
My aplogies for a written in haste, repent when you see the replies observation. I did not intend to imply that the investigation of a road fatality was trivial or unimportant. I was referring to the under-current in society that if anything nasty happens somebody is to blame and somebody must be sued and pay up. Kids in a car with a jack handle springs to mind! I am sorry if I didn't make this properly clear.
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Sat 14 Nov 2009 11:23
Road closure after fatality - Lygonos
The depth of investigation is also to reduce 'wriggle-room' for clever lawyers for the defence.

A prosecution may follow and not having investigated thouroughly helps keep dangerous drivers on the roads.
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Sat 14 Nov 2009 11:33
Road closure after fatality - Pugugly
OP - if you do a forum search you'll find several weeks' worth of interesting reading on this Forum in relation to this topic - including comments from people that have actually dealt with fatal accidents (and not armchair speculators) - there is a very recent post from a serving Officer saying that the process is now subject of a review by ACPO and the IPCC and that a change is likely. So unless there's a compelling reason to keep this thread open (and in the absence of any new arguments) - thread is locked.

Edited by Pugugly on 14/11/2009 at 11:37

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