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Car chase deaths: are police to blame?

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by Aroha TreacherPolice car chase

‘Teenage driver killed in weekend smash during police chase’… ‘Police pursuits leave teenagers in hospital’.

These are just a couple of the recent media headlines regarding police car chase related deaths.

You never hear of police chases that go right, only the ones that go horribly wrong.

The case of Luke Wooster (17) who failed to stop for police is one of the latest involving a police pursuit.

Wooster sped off reaching 180km/h in a 70km/h zone according to one witness.

Police pursued. The result? The death of Mr Wooster.

In a recent New Zealand Herald article, his father, Wayne Wooster, said he was “a little angry” with police for chasing his son, “because if he had stopped, all they would have been able to do was get him for a $400 fine”.

But who is to blame?

Shouldn’t parents be taking some responsibility for the actions of their children?

Equally, shouldn’t police stop the pursuit when they realise it is getting too dangerous? Surely driving at around 170km/h should be a good indication to stop.

Luke was obviously not able to handle a police confrontation or experienced enough to handle a high powered car.

If teenagers want to drive, parents need to give them all the opportunities to learn how to drive safely.

But at the end of the day, it is not the parents who are behind the wheel, it’s their child.

Although it is a painful time for the Wooster family, I believe they are laying the blame too heavily on the police.

Why is it the police’s fault if someone doesn’t pull over when they have broken the law?

Although this may sound harsh, the law is the law. If you break it you will have to suffer the consequences.

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