The number of fleeing driver incidents in Hawke’s Bay has soared to more than one a day.
After a major police review in 2020, staff were told a police pursuit was only justified when the threat posed by the vehicle before failing to stop, and the necessity to immediately apprehend the driver and passengers, outweighed the risk of harm created by the pursuit.
Critics claim the policy has simply given fleeing drivers a free getaway pass.
But, as an incident in Hastings on Friday morning showed, a lack of chasing doesn’t mean those fleeing won’t be arrested.
A joyride by youths in a stolen Mazda Demio came to an abrupt end on Karamu Rd when police spiked the car’s tyres and it crashed into the back of an egg truck.
A police spokesperson said the driver failed to stop for police and crashed about 8.30am.
“The vehicle collided with a parked vehicle as it came to a stop after it went through the spikes, resulting in minor damage to both vehicles.”
The police spokesperson said two young people were referred to Youth Aid. There were no injuries, but the street, a main thoroughfare, was blocked for a short time.
A witness who asked to remain unnamed for privacy and safety reasons said the car was on four flat tyres before it crashed into the right rear of the truck.
He said two members of the public were able to detain one of the two young male occupants, while the other tried to flee before they were caught by police.
“It was a blessing in disguise that he hit the truck I believe because he had no control of what was going on with his car with flat tyres,” he said.
A Taradale woman who was informed by police that her stolen Mazda Demio had been in a crash in Hastings said she was sad to hear it was youths, but glad to hear no one was injured.
“I woke up this morning and I was going to take my son to school and the car was just gone. I hope the young people involved are dealt with correctly and can learn something from it.”
WHY ARE SO MANY DRIVERS FLEEING?
The national trend of an increasing number of fleeing drivers since the police pursuit policy changed in December 2020 is reflected in police data on the Hawke’s Bay region.
Fleeing incidents in Hawke’s Bay have nearly doubled since the policy change, from 295 in 2019, to 445 recorded up to September 2022, while police pursuits dramatically decreased.
Interestingly, the number of fleeing driver incidents ending in a crash in Hawke’s Bay has remained relatively stable, with 39 ending in a crash in 2019 and 36 in 2020, compared to 22 in 2021 and 35 so far in 2022.
A police spokesperson said one of the reasons the number of fleeing drivers has increased since December 2020 on a national level could be the policy change, but another reason could be due to a new police policy for recording events.
“Prior to the policy change in 2020, police only recorded the fleeing driver incident when police pursued the vehicle. Since the policy change, we also include those instances where police did not pursue.”