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CNN World Report

Car Chases in Britain Cause Damage to Bystanders

Aired July 15, 2001 - 14:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: Police in England are evaluating the effects of high-speed car chases; they're intended of being a method of protecting the public. But human error and unsafe vehicles at times lead police car chases into to deadly road. We get more from Britain's ITN.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDA KENNEDY, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The high-speed car chase may be a good way of catching criminals, but a cost to the public was revealed to be higher than every before.

According to the Police Complaints Authority, the number of deaths has risen sharply over the last four years.

The cause could be too little training and wrong vehicles being used. Today's response from police is even one death is too many but the figure should be put in perspective.

RICHARD CULLEN, ASSN. OF CHIEF POLICE OFFICERS: On a daily basis, almost, there are daily cases of people being run down by drunken drivers; there's cases of people being killed by disingenuous joy riders who have stolen vehicles and are driving excessively fast, so the number of occasions that police officers are actually involved in is very small.

KENNEDY: It was a police car that hit Robert Scutts who can walk now with help but a head injury ruled out his dream of being a pilot.

ROBERT SCUTTS, POLICE PURSUIT VICTIM: It's taken me a long time to get used to the problems it has caused. Physical and mental. It's more -- it's learning to live with it, and I think I have learned how to live with it now.

KENNEDY: All forces are being urged to review their driving policy.

(on camera): A change in the law could soon be an option. Police officers are only allowed to run red lights and break the speed limit (UNINTELLIGIBLE) It may restrict the police, but the risk to the public from those meant to protect them is no judge too high.

Linda Kennedy, ITN, Central London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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