POLICE cars have been involved in nearly 200 accidents in the region since 2004, figures released yesterday showed.

The research carried out by The Daily Mirror comes days after the family of a 16-year-old who died when a speeding police car hit her in Newcastle, criticised the threeyear prison sentence handed out to the driver of the car, PC John Dougal.

Hayley Adamson was killed when she was hit by PC Dougal’s car on May 19. The car was travelling at 94mph without its lights on.

The figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information laws, show that there were 62 accidents involving officers from County Durham and Darlington police, of which 54 accidents involved another motorist and eight involved third party property.

North Yorkshire Police vehicles were involved in 42 accidents – on two occasions a patrol car failed to give way at a junction and collided with another car.

Police patrol cars in Cleveland were involved in 48 accidents. On one occasion two people were injured, one seriously, when a car hit another car at traffic lights.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police, said: “Police officers here in Cleveland and across the country undergo rigorous tuition in driving techniques as part of their initial training.”

Northumbria Police, which were involved in 43 accidents, refused to divulge details of the incidents.

A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said: “There are clear national standards for police driver training and comprehensive manuals for its delivery.

“These figures must also be viewed in the context of the fact there are tens of thousands of police vehicles on the road.”

The sister of Miss Adamson, Sarah Ridley, said she was disappointed with the sentence handed out to PC Dougal at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday.

“I know the judge had a hard time passing a sentence and no sentence will bring her back, but I personally thought he would get four years,” she said.