Crash clear-up times cut by 3D image use

Laser technology which will help reduce the time motorways are closed after crashes will be used by police in the Midlands, it emerged today.

The cutting-edge equipment saves time by making a 3D image of the whole crash site, rather than investigators painstakingly surveying multiple sections of a scene. This digital image of the site can then be viewed on a computer screen remotely, allowing investigators to take measurements of where vehicles are in relation to each other and examine other important evidence.

Roads minister Mike Penning said 27 police forces in England, including Staffordshire, West Midlands and West Mercia, will get the technology as part of a £2.7 million deal.

"There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end," he said. "But even worse than that is the shocking £1 billion cost of those lost hours for our economy. That is why we are determined to improve the clear-up of accidents so we can get our motorways reopened as quickly as possible.

"Today's £2.7m funding award will see 3D laser scanners rolled out quickly where they are needed most. This will benefit drivers by reducing incident clear-up times by 39 minutes."

The technology will help officers investigating serious crashes, such as the collision involving a lorry driver on the M5 in the summer. The driver died when his vehicle burst into flames after crashing on the M5 near Halesowen in July. Drivers faced delays after both sides of the road were shut.

By Shaun Jepson