Christine Murphy, whose brother, John Todd, died after being hit by a patrol car, made the plea after shocking figures showed that 30 people are now being killed every year in accidents with police cars. The figures – which have trebled in five years – have alarmed safety campaigners who are demanding an urgent review of police driving standards. The statistics also show that police are involved in more than 55 crashes a day, but only a quarter of these happen when they are responding to an emergency. The figures reveal there have been 178 members of the public killed in accidents with the police since 1994, while nine officers hvae lost their lives in crashes. In 1999, a police officer was cleared at Newcastle Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving following the accident in which Mr Todd died in 1997. The officer’s Ford Mondeo , answering a non-emergency call, was doing 50mph on the wrong side of the road in Blue House Lane, Concord, Washington, when it struck Mr Todd, 39, as he was walking to his home on the Coach Road Estate. Since his death, his sister, of Springwell Village, Washington, has campaigned tirelessly for “black box” type gadgets fitted to patrol cars and improved safety measures. The retired teacher has also demanded that police cut their speed and face the same action any other driver would face in the case of an accident. Mrs Murphy said: “I’m shocked by these latest figures – they just show why my campaigning is still necessary. “Something must be done to stop these things happening. Something should have been done by now. “I won’t stop campaigning. I’ll go on chipping away in the hope that eventually action is taken.” Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety charity, said: “I am very worried about police driver training standards. “In the last 12 years there have been huge changes and I do not think we should be surprised by these figures. We need to restore training standards no matter how expensive they are.” A Home Office spokesman said: “The police have to strike a balance between responding promptly to emergencies and apprehending offenders, and ensuring the safety of the public. “Last year the Association of Chief Police Officers launched new guidelines for the management of pursuits and we welcome them.”