'Keystone Kops' Can't Reverse

Thu, 09 September 2010 Courtesy of: Orange

South Yorkshire Police has decided that every new vehicle will be fitted with a warning device, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The force spends an average of £60,000 a year mending cars damaged during parking manoeuvres.

Many incidents take place in police yards where space is limited often damaging two cars at the same time.

Parking sensors are mostly fitted to the rear of the cars but some South Yorkshire Police cars will also have them on the front so drivers avoid crashing when moving forwards.

Regular collisions are occurring even though police officers have to pass more stringent driving tests than ordinary drivers.

David Blunkett, former Home Secretary and Sheffield MP, commented: "Perhaps it would be worth spending a bit of money on advanced driving courses."

South Yorkshire Police fleet manager Martin Whysall said: "Police station yards were not necessarily designed for cars and they can be tight in terms of space."

Barry Humphreys, spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said police repair bills implied that officers were driving like the "Keystone Kops".

"Standards of police driver training have fallen and it is something that needs attention," he said.