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Deaths resulting from police pursuits in Australia, 1990-1997
The US National Police Pursuit Policy Act of 1998
SNAPSHOT STATISTICS
In 2001 there were 365 fatalities in the USA as a result of peace officer pursuits (Source: NHTSA)
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Investigation of Road Traffic Incidents (RTIs) involving police vehicles [in the UK], 1998 - 2001: Identifying common factors and the lessons to be learned (particularly relating to police pursuits).
Police Pursuits and Public Safety Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 1999
The Number of Police Pursuits Drops Dramatically in Los Angeles -- LAPD Press Release, August 2003
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Fatal Road Traffic Crashes Involving Police Vehicles in England and Wales (in immediate/emergency response or pursuit situations)
Notes: 1. The information is provided by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, to which forces submit statistical returns. 2. All figures are for financial years. 3. Details of the number of fatalities involving police vehicles engaged in activities other than immediate/emergency response or pursuit are not centrally available. [Source: House of Commons, Hansard, 23 February 2004]
USA police pursuit records provide harsh statistics, according to data released by the FBI 2002 Law Enforcement Bulletins: the majority of police pursuits involve a stop for a traffic violation, and one person dies every day as a result of a police pursuit. On average, from 1994 through 1998, one law enforcement officer was killed every 11 weeks in a pursuit and one percent of all United States law enforcement officers who died in the line-of-duty lost their lives in vehicle pursuits.
Innocent third parties who just happen to be in the way constitute 42 percent of people killed or injured in police pursuits. One out of every 100 high-speed pursuits results in a fatality, statistics show.
Sources: The Daily Southerner, and Police Driving.com
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Relevant News Items
...The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration keeps records that law enforcement agencies voluntarily submit about police pursuit deaths. According to those statistics, at least 365 pursuit deaths occurred nationwide in 2003 - the latest year available.... Mississippi and Florida, along with a number of large cities - Boston, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, and Orlando - have recently strengthened their pursuit laws. Mississippi's new law, which took effect July 1, increases the penalties for those who flee from authorities and requires all police agencies to adopt pursuit policies or training programs for officers.... California law enforcement agencies have immunity from litigation in police pursuit deaths and several police associations in that state have come out in opposition to a bill seeking to impose a statewide pursuit policy and prohibit chases unless the public faces "certain, immediate and impending" peril. The bill has stalled in a legislative committee.... Full story, from the Picayune Item
Police officers will have to comply with to strict new rules for chasing criminals from today after two high-profile cases in which innocent victims were killed in crashes. New guidelines on police pursuits gives police supervisors the ultimate power to call off any chase, and once this has happened officers are under instruction to immediately switch off their lights and siren, slow down, stop on the side of the road and tell the communications centre where they are. Another of the new rules makes it clear that the "abandon pursuit" command applied to all police cars, and not just individual vehicles.
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July 31, 2004: 