Police In Atlanta Not to Respond to Car Crashes With No Injuries

ATLANTA, GA- Wsbtv.com writes that the Atlanta Police Department released news that its officers will not respond to car crashes unless injuries are involved. The policy is in response to the coronavirus pandemic.*

The department posted the policy change on its Facebook page, stating its desire to reduce the spread of the virus. 

For drivers involved in a collision that does not result in injuries, police have posted an online form that drivers are asked to complete. The form is titled SR-13 and is used to collect information regarding the drivers and the collision. 

The department reports that the policy is not permanent, but rather it is in place because of the outbreak of COVID-19. So far, Georgia reports that 3,840 people have died in the state from COVID-19. 

The new policy could potentially become problematic. People often fail to recognize injuries because of post-collision adrenaline. Negligent and even drunk drivers may be inclined to avoid reporting wrecks to the police in an effort to prevent being held accountable or arrested. 

Studies indicate that injuries can take place in crashes even when the involved vehicles are traveling at relatively low speeds. In fact, in one analysis of rear-end crashes, researchers found that even at a 2.5 miles per hour change in velocity, occupants in a car can suffer symptoms and soft tissue injuries. In those cases, these may be no damage to the vehicles involved and no skid marks on the roadway. Damage to vehicles frequently does not appear until a change in velocity of 8.7 miles per hour, indicating a possibility of injuries even without other evidence. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes. To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/atlanta-police-will-no-longer-respond-car-accidents-without-injuries-due-covid-19/KYMBUFVASRFGDPAR4EBZ5P3TFY/

https://sr13-form-georgia.com/jsfiller-desk18/?projectId=507582947#375619b74f31e8e3d0c691e89b0d6ac6

https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus-georgia-covid-dashboard/jvoLBozRtBSVSNQDDAuZxH/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9868635/