"unless there's a legal excuse" proviso presumably means that as long as it's
an incompetent plod driver causing the accident (enough of those to cause worry)
everything is well with the world.
I wouldn't agree with that. Most UK police forces will proseceute their own staff just as eagerly as they would a civilian. The diffrence being, where a civvy would be prosecueted for an 'excess speed' offence. A police officer would be prosecueted for a much more serious offence, as the offence of excess speed would not have been commited.
A trained and qualified emergency vehicle driver has less excuse for causing an accident, as they should be much more skillfull than someone who has simply passed their DSA test. (even my wife passed that...
) Therefore I believe they should be held to account when standards drop below what is expected, and as such, I've reported such drivers for just that. A blue beacon is not a free for all, it's simply a tool of the trade, and should be used as such.
Drivers who are often able to 'claim the excemption', which doesn't just include police officers, should be adequately assessed and trained to do so. Drivers who usually can't, don't need to be, and would therefore usually be required to drive appropriately. (I use the word 'usually' as everyone may, under prescribed circumstances.) More volunteers for 'Traffic' or 'Motor Patrols' are refused because they don't display the skills required, than are accepted. Most police accidents, or 'polacs' involve divisional officers, driving what people refer to as 'Pandas', which is something which should be addressed! It takes a certain type of person to not drive at 150 mph plus, when they can, and the adrenline is pumping, just as it takes a certain type of person to fly and operate an armed aircraft. Unfortunately the Home Office get it wrong, more than the MOD...