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Published on Saturday, June 7, 2003
in the Associated Press
Florida Highway Patrol troopers Friday began putting Kevlar-reinforced kits in the trunks of their Ford Crown Victorias, hoping to cut down on explosive fires from rear-end crashes that some officers say plague the most popular model of patrol car.
The FHP is the first police agency in the nation to use the drop-in device supplied by Ford to reinforce the area between the trunk and the gas tank.
The kits, aimed primarily at preventing items in the trunk from shooting forward in a crash and puncturing the gas tank, are the second fix in a year aimed at reducing fires in Crown Victorias - the most common police cruiser on the road.
"Our biggest fear as troopers is getting hit on the side of the road," said FHP Lt. John Bagnardi. "Every bit helps."
Since 1983, at least 14 officers have died in crashes when Crown Victoria gas tanks caught fire after being hit from behind.
The devices troopers began putting in each of Florida's 1,750 Crown Victorias on Friday are essentially hard plastic tubs with armored Kevlar backs that are dropped into the trunk.
The device is intended to provide an extra barrier to prevent items from being propelled from the trunk into the gas tank, and to force officers to arrange items in the trunk so they're least likely to puncture the barrier.