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Original Article
Motor vehicle crash deaths related to police pursuits in the United States
  1. F P Rivara1,
  2. C D Mack2
  1. 1Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
  2. 2Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Fred Rivara
 Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Box 359960, 325 Ninth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104, USA; fpru.washington.edu

Abstract

Objective: To determine the number and characteristics of motor vehicle crash deaths related to police pursuits in the United States.

Methods: Analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the Crashworthiness Data System of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the years 1994–2002.

Results: There were 2654 fatal crashes involving 3965 vehicles and 3146 fatalities during the nine year study period. Of these, 1088 were to people not in the fleeing vehicle. These crashes often occurred at high speed, in the night, on local roads. Most of the pursued drivers had prior motor vehicle related convictions.

Conclusions: Many deaths related to police pursuits are to innocent victims. Given that most of the pursued drivers had prior convictions, alternative means of detaining them should be explored.

  • motor vehicle crash
  • fatal injury
  • police pursuit
  • CDS, Crashworthiness Data System
  • FARS, Fatality Analysis Reporting System

https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2003.004853

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