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Due to the number of crashes by official cars and their escalating repair bills South Yorkshire Police have decided that every new vehicle will be fitted with a warning device. The force spends an average of £60,000 a year mending cars damaged during parking manoeuvres. Many incidents take place in police yards where space is limited often damaging two cars at the same time. The sensors emit “bleeping” noises to alert drivers if they get too close to an obstacle. Most are fitted to the rear of the cars but some vehicles supplied to South Yorkshire Police also have them on the front so drivers avoid crashing when moving forwards. Regular collisions are occurring even though police officers have to pass more stringent driving tests than ordinary drivers. Humberside Police also buys cars with reversing sensors but only chooses models with the equipment as “standard to save extra costs”. North and West Yorkshire police only add the devices to large vehicles, such as secure cell vans used for transporting prisoners. David Blunkett, the Former Home Secretary and Sheffield’s MP for Brightside and Hillsborough, commented: “Perhaps it would be worth spending a bit of money on advanced driving courses.” More