Roads Closed following a fatal accident
Discussion
We've all seen roads closed for a police investigation following a fatal accident and no doubt some moaning on here about the length of the closure - this isn't one of those. I was just wondering, given that roads are often closed for many hours after the accident has efectively been cleared up, exactly what the police are actually looking for. I appreciate that there will be occassions where there may be a lot of data to gather such as measurements and photographs taken for evidence and this is very important, especially for the relatives of the deceased, and there will be some multi-vehicle accidents where this will be complicated and time consuming. That said there seem to cases where there can little evidence to gather so the length of time the road needs to be closed can be quite short. As I said, not complaining, I appreciate the significance of the situation, just wondering
I worked in General Insurance claims for over 30 years and back in the late 70s my employer insured Alfa Romeo GB.
One of their employees had a high speed head-on collision that resulted in a fatality and some life-changing injuries - some of the debris landed more than half a mile away, so any investigation was never going to be quick.
The photos in the Police report made me heave, and I had seen some horrors.
There is usually a good reason for post accident road closures.
One of their employees had a high speed head-on collision that resulted in a fatality and some life-changing injuries - some of the debris landed more than half a mile away, so any investigation was never going to be quick.
The photos in the Police report made me heave, and I had seen some horrors.
There is usually a good reason for post accident road closures.
I've got 25+ years as a road death SIO.
Roads can stay closed for numerous reasons.
The collision investigators examination.
Road surfaces/furniture can be damaged or contaminated and need replacing.
Vehicle recovery can be tricky (bearing in mind vehicles have to be recovered with as little disturbance as possible)
Extracting bodies from cars is sometimes very time consuming or we're looking for small body parts.
What we're not doing is closing roads just because we can and for a giggle. On motorways we are acutely aware of the disruption a closure causes and it will be opened as soon as possible. Extended closures need to be fully justified
Roads can stay closed for numerous reasons.
The collision investigators examination.
Road surfaces/furniture can be damaged or contaminated and need replacing.
Vehicle recovery can be tricky (bearing in mind vehicles have to be recovered with as little disturbance as possible)
Extracting bodies from cars is sometimes very time consuming or we're looking for small body parts.
What we're not doing is closing roads just because we can and for a giggle. On motorways we are acutely aware of the disruption a closure causes and it will be opened as soon as possible. Extended closures need to be fully justified
There was an incident on the road behind my house last month. Sadly fatal, and involved the air ambulance landing out front as well. The road was closed for most of the evening (accident was just before rush hour) due to clear up operations. I believe there was some diesel spilt (which dissolves tarmac and requires immediate resurfacing) and possibly blood to clear up as well.
Elroy Blue said:
I've got 25+ years as a road death SIO.
Would you say you are 'desensitised' enough to the role in order to just consider it your day job and go home and have a normal evening/weekend, or is it more deep-seated than that?Hope you don't mind the question, ignore if so.
All too often we hear people complaining about being inconvenienced by a road closure due to a crash, or having been trapped on a motorway for several hours due to a crash.
Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food!
(Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? 
)
Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food!
(Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? ) Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
4rephill said:
All too often we hear people complaining about being inconvenienced by a road closure due to a crash, or having been trapped on a motorway for several hours due to a crash.
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
Yep.Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
I just think that if the hold-up means I'm suddenly having a bad day, it's very sadly inevitable that at least one person is having a much worse one.
In the meantime, OP, you might like to watch this series on iPlayer - it's excellent and it'll give you a whole lot of insight:
The Crash Detectives
There was a serious accident near my work a few weeks ago, three cars, injuries etc... The road was closed for ages, a long long time after the damaged vehicles had been removed, but there was still coppers generally milling about.
A colleague asked one of the coppers why the road was still closed and one of them said they were still looking for some severed fingers at the scene..............
A colleague asked one of the coppers why the road was still closed and one of them said they were still looking for some severed fingers at the scene..............
catfood12 said:
There was a serious accident near my work a few weeks ago, three cars, injuries etc... The road was closed for ages, a long long time after the damaged vehicles had been removed, but there was still coppers generally milling about.
A colleague asked one of the coppers why the road was still closed and one of them said they were still looking for some severed fingers at the scene..............
My father was a traffic copper, one of the last accident scenes he had to deal with was when some low life drove through a 30mph built up area at a stupid speed whilst drunk. He hit two OAPs who were crossing a pedestrian crossing. A colleague asked one of the coppers why the road was still closed and one of them said they were still looking for some severed fingers at the scene..............
The road was closed for several hours as they couldn't find all the limbs, eventually they found the last one on a balcony a short distance from the impact point. When they went to arrest the scumbag responsible he was in bed asleep.
Howard- said:
Elroy Blue said:
I've got 25+ years as a road death SIO.
Would you say you are 'desensitised' enough to the role in order to just consider it your day job and go home and have a normal evening/weekend, or is it more deep-seated than that?Hope you don't mind the question, ignore if so.
4rephill said:
All too often we hear people complaining about being inconvenienced by a road closure due to a crash, or having been trapped on a motorway for several hours due to a crash.
Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food! (Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? )
Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
You have put that so well.Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food!
(Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? ) Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
Howard- said:
Would you say you are 'desensitised' enough to the role in order to just consider it your day job and go home and have a normal evening/weekend, or is it more deep-seated than that?
Hope you don't mind the question, ignore if so.
I can honestly say I go into 'work' mode and have never lost any sleep over my work. The only one I can honestly say that made me stop and take a breath was a little kid who was knocked over and killed. When I turned up he was the spitting image of my own son.Hope you don't mind the question, ignore if so.
I always found being a Family Liaison Officer harder. Knocking on the door to deliver 'the message' and being their personal contact throughout the investigation can be exhausting.
Edited by Elroy Blue on Sunday 4th July 12:57
4rephill said:
All too often we hear people complaining about being inconvenienced by a road closure due to a crash, or having been trapped on a motorway for several hours due to a crash.
Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food! (Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? )
Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
I’m normally quite good at ignoring the idiots at road closures. I’ll stay away from the signs. Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food!
(Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? ) Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
I was on one last year. Little girl got knocked over and was in a serious way. Air ambulance had landed. Road closed.
Women moaning that she can’t get to Waitrose to get their shopping. Wouldn’t stop going on about how it’s messed up her day.
Couldn’t have worked out any better that the air ambulance took off and flew overhead. Simple ‘it could be worse, you could be in there’ and she shut up and walked away.
Elroy Blue said:
I can honestly say I go into 'work' mode and have never lost any sleep over my work. The only one I can honestly say that made me stop and take a breath was a little kid who was knocked over and killed. When I turned up he was the shouting image of my own son.
I always found being a Family Liaison Officer harder. Knocking on the door to deliver 'the message' and being their personal contact throughout the investigation can be exhausting.
I’d like to be an FLO in the future. But I can imagine how hard it is emotionally. I always found being a Family Liaison Officer harder. Knocking on the door to deliver 'the message' and being their personal contact throughout the investigation can be exhausting.
I actually replied to this thread, then deleted it the other day.
Whilst in the job I had no issues and was actually very proud of the way in which my team and I investigated fatals and supported the families of the deceased and other persons involved, sometimes for years following the incident.
Being part of a team that did this work all of the time you had a sort of comfort blanket of shared experience and support that meant you could talk things through easily.
Several years after I retired, I started to revisit many of the incidents I'd been to and ended up needing some professional help to deal with it, I've now got them boxed up safely and they no longer affect me - effectively the comfort blanket had gone missing......
I also know that several of my former colleagues have had similar issues.
Whilst in the job I had no issues and was actually very proud of the way in which my team and I investigated fatals and supported the families of the deceased and other persons involved, sometimes for years following the incident.
Being part of a team that did this work all of the time you had a sort of comfort blanket of shared experience and support that meant you could talk things through easily.
Several years after I retired, I started to revisit many of the incidents I'd been to and ended up needing some professional help to deal with it, I've now got them boxed up safely and they no longer affect me - effectively the comfort blanket had gone missing......
I also know that several of my former colleagues have had similar issues.
Edited by Rushjob on Sunday 4th July 18:47
Turbobanana said:
There was an incident on the road behind my house last month. Sadly fatal, and involved the air ambulance landing out front as well. The road was closed for most of the evening (accident was just before rush hour) due to clear up operations. I believe there was some diesel spilt (which dissolves tarmac and requires immediate resurfacing) and possibly blood to clear up as well.
A3095?4rephill said:
All too often we hear people complaining about being inconvenienced by a road closure due to a crash, or having been trapped on a motorway for several hours due to a crash.
Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food! (Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? )
Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
Perfectly put.Just this week there was a news story about people being trapped on the M5 due to a seven vehicle crash, and some were complaining that they had to go up to 6 hours without food!
(Is not eating for up 6 hours really that big a deal? ) Reading the comments being made by the trapped drivers/passengers, I couldn't help thinking:
"At the end of the day, after a bit of a delay, you got home, chances are you got to have a nice bite to eat, spend time with you family, and got to sleep in your own comfy bed.
There's a very good chance that one or more of the people who have so selfishly inconvenienced you by having a crash, didn't get to do any of that.
It's possible that some of them might have spent the night (and many more to come), in agonising pain, facing a future with life changing injuries
It's possible that some of them might never have got to go home and see their loved ones ever again....But none of that matters, does it?......You didn't get to eat for a few hours, and that's just the end of the World!"
Next time your inconvenienced by a road closure, or stuck on a motorway, and delayed for a while, just think: Someone else might have been delayed for a lot longer than you've been - possibly permanently!
I've been caught up in a few road closures due to serious accidents,and soon came to realise that getting frustrated or angry was not only counter productive, it was also quite selfish of me, considering that as you say, some children at home who eagerly await their mum , dad or sibling to get home from work may never see them again.
Rushjob said:
I actually replied to this thread, then deleted it the other day.
Whilst in the job I had no issues and was actually very proud of the way in which my team and I investigated fatals and supported the families of the deceased and other persons involved, sometimes for years following the incident.
Being part of a team that did this work all of the time you had a sort of comfort blanket of shared experience and support that meant you could talk things through easily.
Several years after I retired, I started to revisit many of the incidents I'd been to and ended up needing some professional help to deal with it, I've now got them boxed up safely and they no longer affect me - effectively the comfort blanket had gone missing......
I also know that several of my former colleagues have had similar issues.
I've been following Ben Pearson on Youtube (Ex Pol Interceptors Traffic cop), now retired due to PTSD. Some of the stories he recounts on his youtube are horrific. Just reading his book now. very interesting.Whilst in the job I had no issues and was actually very proud of the way in which my team and I investigated fatals and supported the families of the deceased and other persons involved, sometimes for years following the incident.
Being part of a team that did this work all of the time you had a sort of comfort blanket of shared experience and support that meant you could talk things through easily.
Several years after I retired, I started to revisit many of the incidents I'd been to and ended up needing some professional help to deal with it, I've now got them boxed up safely and they no longer affect me - effectively the comfort blanket had gone missing......
I also know that several of my former colleagues have had similar issues.
Edited by Rushjob on Sunday 4th July 18:47
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