It's Time to Rename the Accident Investigation Division within the Philadelphia Police Department

Using the term "accident" is no longer considered acceptable in the field of traffic safety, especially not for a city that has a vision zero goal and practices the safe system approach to traffic violence.
The word "accident" implies unavoidable circumstances, when in fact, traffic crashes are completely avoidable.
In fact, the National Highway Safety Administration banned the word from government publications in 1997. Traffic crashes are fixable problems, caused by dangerous streets and unsafe drivers. They are not accidents.
Perpetuating the use of the word accident is an insult to the families of victims.

Can you write to Captain Outlaw and ask that the Accident Investigation Division be renamed?

Who You're Contacting

Danielle Outlaw

Commissioner

Philadelphia Police Department

PA

Phone:

Tumar Alexander

Managing Director

City of Philadelphia

PA

Phone:

What You’re Saying

Subject

Salutation

Dear Commissioner Outlaw, [Decision Maker]:

Opening

As I'm sure you're aware, using the term "accident" is no longer considered acceptable in the field of traffic safety, especially not for a city that has a vision zero goal and practices the safe system approach to traffic violence.
The word "accident" implies unavoidable circumstances, when in fact, traffic crashes are completely avoidable. 
In fact, the National Highway Safety Administration banned the word from government publications in 1997. Traffic crashes are fixable problems, caused by dangerous streets and unsafe drivers. They are not accidents.
Perpetuating the use of the word accident is an insult to the families of victims.

Body

The Philadelphia Police Department is one of the only large U.S. cities left in the United States that has not changed the name of their traffic safety investigation division.  For example:

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Collision Investigation Unit, 
Baltimore PD Police Crash Team
Phoenix Police Department Vehicular Crimes Unit
NYPD Crash Investigation Unit
Metropolitan Police (Wash DC) Major Crash Investigations Unit

Closing

I am requesting that you authorize Captain Overwise to proceed with changing the name of the Accident Investigation Division (AID) to a more appropriate name for this important public safety function.

Thank you,

[Your name]
[Your email address]

Contact Information

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Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1107, Philadelphia, PA 19102