PROVINCETOWN – A Provincetown Police cruiser was involved in a traffic crash late Sunday morning. The collision reportedly occurred shortly after 11:30 AM on Race Point Road near the Provincelands Visitor Center. The officer was evaluated and transported to Cape Cod Hospital but is expected to be okay. Provincetown Police called for the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Crash Reconstruction team to investigate the crash.
Provincetown Police Chief James Golden released the following statement on Monday: The police officer was traveling was traveling North on Race Point Road toward the airport. Weather conditions at the time were sustained rain and wind. The roadway was also covered with wet leaves other hazards including running water on the roads edge and standing water (puddles) in spots.
“My officer reports that the vehicle hydroplaned and impacted the trees on the side of the road. The way my mind works and because I am in the police business, I feel compelled to explain the phenomenon, hydroplaning occurs when a tire encounters more water than it can displace from the tread grooves. Water pressure in the front of the wheel pushes water under the tire, and the tire is then separated from the road surface by a thin film of water and loses traction. The result is loss of steering, braking and power control.” Chief Golden said.
The vehicles driver/passenger safety equipment (seatbelts and airbags) all worked as designed and the police officer was transported to Cape Cod Hospital and released. The crash remains under investigation by Provincetown Police crash reconstructionist and shift supervisor Sergeant Kevan Spoor.
