The majority of U.K. police forces have phased out the use of the word “accident” when referring to crashes and other incidents, according to an analysis by journalist Laura Laker, author of the U.K.’s Road Collision Reporting Guidelines.
However, the same research finds that more than two-thirds of police news stories still refer to a motor vehicle in collision reports rather than a person. 23% of police press releases refer to a motor vehicle as active, with phrasing such as “the vehicle hit pedestrians” rather than “a driver of a vehicle hit pedestrians.” 70% of police news stories still refer to motor vehicles as participants in crashes.
Around 1,700 people die on U.K. roads annually.
The use of impersonal language can have a powerful impact on public understanding of collisions, with human agency downplayed. An “accident” implies a blameless act while “incident” is neutral. Planes do not slam into the ground accidentally; they crash. Campaign groups have been lobbying for neutral road-incident vocabulary for many years—“crash, not accident” is a common mantra—and previous research has demonstrated that thanks to the leading language used in police and media reporting, blame for road smashes is often placed on victims.
Highlighting that news organizations commonly copy their use of language from police press releases, Laker said: “Media descriptions of road collisions, particularly those involving pedestrians or cyclists, tend to be unbalanced, describing a victim first, and the person behind the wheel of a vehicle later, and sometimes not at all.”
She added: “Pedestrian casualties are depicted as isolated tragedies, cycling casualties as typical while erasing the presence of drivers in collisions.”
Language matters
Five of the U.K.’s 45 police forces have formally adopted the Road Collision Reporting Guidelines, launched in 2021, but only one—Warwickshire police force—uses them in practice.
The National Police Chiefs Council’s (NPCC) roads policing lead, Jo Shiner, praised forces for improving their use of language concerning road collisions.
“We know how important using the right language at the right time is, not just for accurate reporting, but also for victims, families, friends and communities,” said Shiner.
Laker’s research, funded by the Foundation for Integrated Transport, analyzed 227 press releases from 45 police forces across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as well as using Freedom of Information requests, and found the use of “accident” is now the exception, rather than the rule.
However, some forces—and their press departments—still use misleading phraseology, found Laker, citing examples such as “vehicles intentionally swerving” or “vehicles acting suspiciously.” Other typical examples include a “collision involving a pedestrian and a Mercedes,” said Laker, rather than the more accurate “the driver of a Mercedes hit a pedestrian.”
Separate research has found this focuses blame towards those injured in a collision, by as much as 30%. Adding the terms “being driven,” or “driver,” to a police report can create a more balanced public understanding of collisions, said Laker.
In 49 of 227 police press releases analyzed by Laker, 22% included broader collision statistics relating to a sentencing outcome or operation. This added context helps audiences understand collisions are not isolated incidents but part of predictable and preventable trends that contribute to road danger, such as speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Laker’s research grouped police press releases into four categories: collision news, sentencing news, operations and initiatives, and tributes. Collision news reports tended to feature the most “active vehicle” language and lacked context on broader collision trends.
A new handbook written by Laker features some examples of more balanced wording for police media teams—and journalists—to use in communications. It also suggests ways to add general context about broader collision trends using publicly available data.
Good practice
The Road Collision Reporting Guidelines were published in 2021 following a public consultation. While supported by the NPCC, just five police forces—Greater Manchester, Gwent, Northamptonshire, South Yorkshire, and Warwickshire—have formally adopted the Guidelines.
Laker’s research seeks to share good practices in public communications. South Yorkshire’s police force added context by including the link between a lack of insurance and other criminal behavior, while Surrey’s force highlighted the significant role speeding and dangerous driving play in the so-called “Fatal 5,” or the five most common contributory factors to fatal collisions. Avon and Somerset police pointed out that a third of collisions, including 12 deaths on its roads within a year, involved drink or drugs.
“The language we use around road collisions can have a profound impact on public perception and safety,” said Dan Quin, chief fire officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and National Fire Chiefs Council lead for road safety.
He added: “By adopting more precise terminology, we help highlight the responsibility of drivers and raise awareness about the dangers on our roads.”
“When describing the mechanics of collisions, police can dramatically improve balance by simply mentioning a driver, rather than just their vehicle, early on in the story,” said Laker.
“Crashes are not accidental, random or isolated.”
