Cell phone at the wheel Bern police officer causes an accident - and unintentionally films himself in the process
A police officer from Bern caused an accident in February 2024 because he was on his cell phone for almost a minute. The accident was recorded by the camera in the police car.
09.05.2025, 10:57
09.05.2025, 12:46
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- A police officer from Bern caused a rear-end collision in February 2024 while distracted by his cell phone.
- The accident was recorded by the camera in his company car.
- He wanted to prohibit the video recording as evidence, but the Board of Appeal rejected this.
Distracted by his cell phone, a police officer from Bern caused a rear-end collision in February 2024. A camera in the police car recorded the incident. It remains to be seen whether the recordings are admissible as evidence.
A court will have to decide this as soon as the case goes to trial. The criminal investigation for gross violation of traffic regulations is ongoing.
In this context, the police officer requested that the incriminating video not be used as evidence. The Appeals Chamber of the High Court rejected his appeal, as can be seen from a ruling published on the Internet. First reported by the "Berner Zeitung".
The man was on the A1 near Bern on a surveillance assignment. He was therefore sitting in a so-called video vehicle, which is equipped with a camera inside.
On his cell phone for almost a minute
The recordings show that the police officer was typing and reading on his cell phone for almost a minute shortly before the accident. The images contradicted his original statement that he had been looking in the side mirror for too long.
The Board of Appeal came to the conclusion that the recording had been made before the observation began and was therefore problematic in terms of data protection law. However, according to the Federal Supreme Court, traffic offenses can also constitute serious crimes. In such cases, even unlawfully obtained evidence could be admitted in court.
In the past, the Bern cantonal police have repeatedly warned drivers against being distracted by cell phones. "Our brains are not capable of perceiving smartphone content and road traffic hazards at the same time," it says in a blog post. The police officer suffered a concussion and bruises in the accident.
