KEY POINTS:
Police have reviewed 6000 pursuits in the past three years and concluded most of the people they stopped were serious offenders.
The issue of police pursuits gained a high profile in September when two police chases in two days left five people injured.
The Police Complaints Authority as well as the police are reviewing high speed police pursuits.
The police said today that their review found that in the majority of cases, drivers were stopped for serious offences.
They examined 6000 pursuits between April 2004 and April 2007. There were an average of 162 pursuits per month.
"The report states clearly that we need to take the time to do some more work on this, and we intend to make sure that happens," national road policing manager, Superintendent Dave Cliff said.
A breakdown showed 30.2 per cent were stopped for speeding, 17.4 per cent for criminal offending, 14.7 per cent for dangerous or careless driving, and suspected drink-driving was 8.5 per cent.
In cases where the age was known, more than 70 per cent of fleeing drivers were reported to be below the age of 30, and 23.3 per cent of pursued vehicles were recorded as having been stolen.
The duration of pursuits ranged from a few seconds through to more than two-and-a-half hours. But most were between two and five minutes.
Almost one per cent of pursuits were over 200km/h but about half had maximum speeds between 75km/h and 125km/h.
The report also looks at progress made against an earlier review and pursuits in other jurisdictions.
"I am also aware that some of the findings from this report need very careful analysis and should to be considered in context," Mr Cliff said.
- NZPA
