What happens if you hit a police car?
51-year-old Man Arrested After Colliding With SAPD Patrol Vehicle
According to a KSAT News report, a man was arrested on suspicion of DUI after hitting a patrol vehicle.
Police reported the accident happened at around 11:30 p.m. December 7th, at the intersection of Pinn Road and State Highway 151 access road on San Antonio’s West Side. A patrol vehicle was traveling through the intersection on a green light when a man driving a truck blew the red light traveling eastbound on the access road. The officer could not avoid the collision, according to the report. The man, 51, was evaluated and found to be displaying signs of intoxication at the scene. He was arrested, and the officer in the patrol vehicle was taken to the hospital as a precaution. No major injuries were reported.
Did You Know?
There were 1,591 crashes involving at least one drunk driver in San Antonio in 2023.
What Happens If You Accidentally Hit a Police Car?
It’s never not stressful when you get into an accident, but hitting a police car is even worse.
Texas accident data regarding auto accident causes for 2023 showed that failure to yield caused:
- 362 accidents with emergency vehicles on the side of the road (3 fatal), and
- 591 accidents caused by failing to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle not stopped on the side of the road.
Many people worry that they’ll automatically go to jail if they accidentally hit a cop car or wonder what happens if they or the officer is injured. Let’s take a look.
Do You Go to Jail if You Hit a Police Car?
Typically, no. If your accident was truly an accident (i.e., caused by momentary distraction, bad road conditions, poor visibility, etc.), then it will likely be treated like any other accident. You may get a ticket but shouldn’t face any criminal charges.
However, if you were engaging in illegal behavior at the time of the accident, such as:
- Texting while driving,
- Drunk driving,
- Driving under the influence of drugs,
- Fleeing the scene,
- Failing to yield while the officer was responding to an emergency,
- Or ignoring traffic signals,
Then you may face criminal charges.
Compensation for Injuries
If you or the officer is hurt in the crash, where compensation will come from depends on who’s at fault.
If the accident was your fault, you and the officer will be compensated for the injuries by your insurance. Your premiums will likely go up, but you won’t necessarily face criminal charges for injury to an officer.
If the accident was the officer’s fault, you will file a claim with the municipality or county responsible for employing the officer. It should be noted that officers have immunity in most cases, so they cannot usually be sued directly, and your claim can be dismissed if the officer was responding to an emergency. If that happens, compensation can come from your own policy. If the officer was reckless or negligent in causing the accident, then immunity can be waived.
Regardless of who’s at fault, compensation for injuries involving police officers is complicated. You should talk to an attorney if you were injured in an accident with a police officer.
Accident With a Patrol Vehicle in Texas? Call Shaw.
If you were injured in a car accident with a police officer, you may be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- ER Treatment,
- Pain and Suffering,
- Surgeries,
- Missed Work,
- Medical Bills,
- Wrongful Death,
- And More.
We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.
Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 for a free case evaluation with one of our experienced car accident attorneys. No fees, no obligations, just expert legal advice. Carabin Shaw is a trusted name across Texas because we put our clients first. We look forward to serving you.