Bradenton May Make At Fault Drivers Pay Police Costs

Approximately 1500 car accidents occur in Bradenton, Manatee County Florida each year. Currently, the local government pays about $150,000.00 per year to direct traffic, investigate, and come to conclusions regarding the cause of these accidents. According to a story posted at www.baynews9.com, If Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski has his way, the cost for such services will be shifted to the driver the police determine was at fault in the Bradenton auto accident. The ultimate decision to move forward with the idea rests with the Bradenton City Counsel. Apparently, 16 other cities and or counties currently have some form of cost recovery program in place.

The plan in Bradenton involves using a private company called Cost Recovery Corporation to partner with the Bradenton police department to help collect the costs. The Bay News 9 article claims Cost Recovery corporation believes 50 percent of auto insurance companies will pay the costs on behalf of the at fault driver.

The idea has some appeal for several reasons. It may create revenue the police can use toward their primary purpose of law enforcement and it may shift the cost of negligent driving conduct from the taxpayers to the at fault driver. However, it is unclear that the program will actually achieve these goals. Often, what looks like a savings in one area can become a cost in another area.

For example, over time, at fault drivers and their insurance companies will have an increased incentive to fight the police investigators conclusions regarding fault. The cost associated with fighting the conclusions will be born directly by the courts set up to handle traffic tickets and indirectly by the police officers time needed to attend these proceedings. These costs to government may very well outweigh any increase in revenue the police receive from the program.

In addition, insurance companies work in part by shifting costs from one person to everyone that is paying premiums. To the extent the at fault drivers insurance company pays the costs, they may overtime shift some of those costs to all of their policy holders in the form of higher premiums.

I do not know the answers to these questions. Hopefully the Bradenton City counsel will endeavor to answer the questions themselves before making the decision on whether to go forward with the program.

Scott Distasio
Bradenton auto accident lawyer

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