Back to driving school for Brussels police

19 March 2004

BRUSSELS – Police officers in Brussels have been forced to take extra driving lessons following the release of worrying new figures on the number of police cars involved in traffic smashes.

Senior officers in charge of west Brussels police took the embarrassing decision after an internal report found that in 2003 their subordinates had been involved in 136 road accidents “because of a lack of driving experience”.

Around 160 officers have been sent back to driving school, where they will be taught how to drive safely, even under stressful conditions such as during car chases, police sources said.

Subject: Belgian news