The number of law enforcement officers who have died in vehicle-related deaths is dramatically higher than it was three decades ago, while the number of LEO deaths from other causes has dropped, Sheriff Magazine reports in its May-June issue.
The deaths of LEOs in motor vehicle crashes rose 80 percent in that period, while deaths due to other causes fell 50 percent.
Since the late 1990s, half of all LEO deaths are due to vehicle accidents. During that time frame, 24 percent of the vehicle deaths (in 353 crashes) involved the officer being ejected from the vehicle, indicating a seat belt was not in use.
The magazine analyzed LEO deaths reported to the FBI for inclusion in the federal Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assualted (LEOKA) database. The magazine analyzed the period from 1980 to 2007.
Read the full report in the digital edition of Sheriff Magazine, starting on Page 22.
