Media Release
11 May 2013

Fleeing drivers, not police, cause crashes

A fatal crash involving a fleeing driver overnight once again highlights that it is the fleeing driver, and not police, who are responsible for such tragedies, Police Association President Greg O'Connor said today.

“Our sympathies go out to the families of the deceased. Once again this is a tragically avoidable waste of lives,” Mr O'Connor said.

“Unfortunately, there will be those who, in the wake of this tragedy, again seek to blame police for the deaths. The fact is, police did not cause this crash. The person who caused this crash was the fleeing driver, who chose to flee from police, not once, but twice. The fleeing driver continued to drive in a way that endangered himself and his passengers, despite police abandoning pursuit not once, but twice.

“In light of his clearly reckless, selfish behaviour and decision making, the fact that he has eventually crashed the vehicle – after pursuit had been abandoned – with tragic consequences, is sadly predictable. It is only fortunate that no innocent members of the public also became victims.

“In incidents such as this, it is important blame is placed at the feet of those responsible – the fleeing drivers – and not the police officers, the young men and women in the middle of the night who are simply out there doing the job the public expects them to do, of trying to keep our roads and communities safe for the law-abiding public,” Mr O'Connor said.

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