Houston Accident Attorney on the Dangers to the Public form High-Speed Police Car Chases - Part 2 of a 2-Part Discussion

Police departments could help by implementing well thought out pursuit policies and training programs to teach officers not just how to pursue, but when to pursue. And when to terminate a pursuit. The departments could also make greater use of alternatives such as helicopter pursuits, spiked stop strips, microwave vehicle control interference technology, the inbuilt OnStar disabling feature, and other new technological devices. Some states have tried increasing the penalties for fleeing from the police.

The problem is a difficult one. If police don't pursue a suspect, that presents a danger to public safety. If police DO pursue a suspect, that also presents a danger to public safety. It's a difficult decision. And police often have to make that decision in an instant, based on instinct. Lives ride on the accuracy of their decisions.

Better training and policies could help hone and guide their instincts. The police pursuers themselves have been trained in pursuit driving; they rarely have accidents themselves. But the pursued tend to have poor judgment and little or no regard for the safety of others. They tend to be the ones to directly kill and injure innocent victims. It needs to stop. But finding a solution to such a complex problem presents a thorny challenge that perhaps we can't resolve any time soon.

Go back to Part 1.

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