THE PRESS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1978. Pursuit of vehicles

Press, 21 October 1978, Page 9

THE PRESS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1978. Pursuit of vehicles

Sensible guide-lines for the pursuit of ' ehicles by traffic officers have been laid down by the Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan). Mr McLachlan was replying to a correspondent who alleged that recently three persons had been killed in high-speed pursuits on the roads.

The most recent instance quoted by the correspondent resulted in the death of a 16-year-old Nelson youth. The Minister’s information on this fatality, however, throws a different light on that incident. “The vehicle was travelling at high speed and passed a traffic officer who was on foot and later followed. The youth had already collided with a bridge abutment before the traffic officer came on the scene.”

Even allowing for the possibility that the unfortunate youth knew or suspected that he was being pursued, Mr McLachlan’s explanation surely exonerates the officer.

Mr McLachlan has directed traffic officers to cease pursuit “if pursuit would involve the patrol driver in a breach of regulations other than the speed limit.” He has reminded officers that when the registration number of the vehicle or the driver’s name is known there is no need to pursue the vehicle unless other road users need to be warned of the danger. In these days of radar measurement of vehicle speeds, radio communication,

and computer records of registration numbers and car ownership, the need for high-speed road pursuit of drivers must have diminished. Nevertheless, the need to protect other people on the roads remains paramount. Bringing an offending driver to book is of secondary importance.

The Ministry’s rules on pursuit recognise the priority and so long as they are observed no officer can be fairly criticised for pursuing a driver just for the sake of pursuit. Probably the most difficult decision that an officer has to make is when he believes that he stands a chance of halting a speeding or reckless driver for the sake of the driver’s own safety. Hardly less difficult is the problem faced by the police when pursuing offenders in cars, perhaps dangerous offenders. Obviously the police must avoid imperilling others on the roads, but a criminal who risks life and limb in the course of escape is master of his own destiny. Many may consider that the traffic offender is in the same position. Sadly, many such offenders are young, headstrong, possibly intoxicated, and daring beyond their capabilities, perhaps in stolen vehicles. The Ministry’s rules provide against pushing such drivers into taking unnecessary risks. Such risks as they take remain those of their own making.