The Public Security Police Force (PSP) has issued a press statement to explain an accident involving a police van hitting a scooter at an intersection in the Inner Harbour area.
The accident was filmed by a dashboard camera from another stationary vehicle that had stopped at the same traffic light as the scooter rider. The footage shows the rider attempting to cross the intersection in the direction of Barra at a green light. The scooter was hit in the intersection by a police van that failed to stop at the red light at the Rua do Almirante Sergio.
In the statement, the PSP claims the driver, an on-duty police officer, could not see the red light on the left side of the road as it was obscured by a bus. The relevant street has traffic lights on both sides. The dashcam footage shows the light for the police van was red, and the police van was not using its emergency lights or siren.
According to the same statement, the responsible officer passed a breathalyzer test and had consumed no alcohol.
The scooter rider was transported to the hospital, with the PSP stating that he had suffered minor injuries.
The police say the case is being addressed as any other traffic incident, which means the officer will be penalized for the serious traffic offense of not stopping at the red traffic light. The offense is aggravated by the fact that it caused an accident resulting in material damage and injury to another road user.
The incident has sparked concerns and many comments from netizens. Some accused the police of not respecting basic traffic rules despite having the power and responsibility of enforcement.
