Pursuit policy questioned after latest deaths

A call for police to review their pursuit policy has been issued after two people died following a pursuit early yesterday in the Auckland suburb of Morningside.

The police have other options: they can use surveillance cameras, helicopters, road spikes, or simply notify other police cars and quietly pursue the fleeing vehicle.

The driver of the full late-model silver VW Golf led police on a chase on the Northwestern motorway and on to St Lukes Rd, before smashing into a tree.

While the driver survived the impact, a woman (25) and a man (29) who were sitting in the back seat of the car, died later in hospital. Two other passengers received serious to moderate injuries.

Police have confirmed the driver and four passengers were friends.

Road safety campaigner Clive Matthew-Wilson called for police to modify their policy on police pursuits following the incident - the second fatal police chase in Auckland in just a fortnight and the 13th nationwide this year.

He said current rules too often ended in needless carnage.

‘‘The police have other options: they can use surveillance cameras, helicopters, road spikes, or simply notify other police cars and quietly pursue the fleeing vehicle at a distance,’’ he said.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the pursuit began once police caught up to the car in St Lukes Rd. Having drivers flee police was a danger to other motorists and pedestrians, not just those in the car, he said.

‘‘It is a concern, it creates a risk and danger not only to community, but to driver, passengers and the police.’’

No charges had been laid in relation to the incident, and police could not yet say if alcohol or seat belts were a factor in the crash.

The Labour Weekend road toll was five, two more than over the same weekend last year. The official holiday period ended at 6am today.

An elderly cyclist died in Christchurch overnight from injuries suffered in a crash in Rangiora yesterday morning.

A woman was killed when her car crashed on a Christchurch motorway on Friday night, while another person was killed in a crash near Turangi on Saturday morning.

Holiday traffic, wet weather and road closures resulted in lengthy delays for motorists heading back to the country’s main centres yesterday. 

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