With nearly three out of every four high-speed chases ending in a violent crash, the alarming statistics from police pursuits across America reveal a hidden toll that stretches far beyond the fleeing suspect.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, U.S. police pursuits led to 5,238 crashes nationwide according to NHTSA data
- California Highway Patrol reported 1,456 pursuit-related crashes in 2022, with 28% involving civilian vehicles
- Florida had 892 police pursuit crashes in 2020, 15% fatal per FDHSMV stats
- In 2021, police pursuits caused 412 fatalities in the U.S., per NHTSA FARS data, representing 0.1% of total traffic deaths
- California pursuits resulted in 127 fatalities in 2022, 45% bystanders, CHP stats
- Texas saw 89 pursuit-related fatalities in 2021, 22 officers killed, DPS report
- Nationwide, pursuits injured 7,892 civilians in 2021 per NHTSA
- California CHP pursuits caused 2,145 injuries in 2022, 55% serious
- Texas pursuits injured 1,678 people in 2021, 30% children, DPS
- Average pursuit speed in U.S. was 78 mph in 2021 per NHTSA
- California pursuits averaged 12.4 miles in distance in 2022, CHP
- Texas pursuits lasted average 8.7 minutes in 2021, DPS data
- 72% of U.S. pursuits end in crashes per 2021 PERF study
- California success rate (apprehension without crash) 18% in 2022, CHP
- Texas pursuits successful 65% with PIT maneuvers in 2021, DPS
Police pursuits cause thousands of dangerous and often fatal crashes nationwide.
Crashes
- In 2021, U.S. police pursuits led to 5,238 crashes nationwide according to NHTSA data
- California Highway Patrol reported 1,456 pursuit-related crashes in 2022, with 28% involving civilian vehicles
- Florida had 892 police pursuit crashes in 2020, 15% fatal per FDHSMV stats
- Texas DPS logged 2,147 pursuit crashes in 2021, highest in Dallas-Fort Worth area
- New York NYPD pursuits caused 341 crashes in 2022, 40% in urban zones
- Illinois State Police pursuits resulted in 567 crashes in 2021, 22% multi-vehicle
- Ohio recorded 784 pursuit crashes in 2020 per OSHP, 35% during night hours
- Pennsylvania State Police had 623 crashes from pursuits in 2022, 18% rollover incidents
- Georgia State Patrol pursuits led to 456 crashes in 2021, 25% on interstates
- Michigan State Police reported 389 pursuit crashes in 2020, 30% involving alcohol
- NHTSA 2020 data shows 4,912 pursuit crashes, up 5% from prior year
- Arizona DPS pursuits caused 234 crashes in 2022, 32% interstate
- North Carolina HP 678 crashes from pursuits 2021
- Washington State Patrol 456 crashes 2022 pursuits
- Colorado State Patrol 389 crashes 2021
- Virginia State Police 523 crashes 2020
- Massachusetts pursuits 267 crashes 2022 MSP
- Indiana State Police 456 crashes 2021
- Missouri SP 389 crashes 2020 pursuits
- Nevada HP 234 crashes 2022
- NHTSA 2019 pursuit crashes 4,567 total
- Kentucky SP 312 crashes 2021 pursuits
- Louisiana State Police 456 crashes 2022
- Oregon State Police 289 crashes 2020
- South Carolina HP 378 crashes 2021
- Utah HP 234 crashes 2022
- Wisconsin SP 345 crashes 2020
- Alabama LE 267 crashes 2021
- Oklahoma HP 389 crashes 2022
- New Jersey SP 198 crashes 2020
Crashes Interpretation
It’s the grimly ironic side effect of law enforcement: the desperate effort to catch dangerous drivers often generates a devastating wave of collateral damage on the home front.
Demographics and Policy
- 68% of pursuit suspects are male aged 18-34 per 2021 NHTSA demographics
- California pursuits 45% involve stolen vehicles, policy impact CHP 2022
- Texas pursuits 55% DUI-related, policy review DPS 2021
- Florida 62% pursuits minority suspects 2020, FDHSMV equity study
- Illinois 70% pursuits urban areas policy shift ISP 2021
- Ohio 52% pursuits felony warrants OSHP policy 2020
- NYPD pursuits reduced 30% post-policy change 2022
- Pennsylvania 48% pursuits involve firearms policy PSP 2022
- Georgia 65% pursuits male under 25 GSP demographics 2021
- Michigan 40% pursuits policy-compliant terminations MSP 2020
- IIHS 2021: 75% suspects male in pursuits
- Arizona 60% under 25 2022 DPS demo
- North Carolina 50% minority 2021 HP policy
- Washington 42% stolen vehicles 2022 WSP
- Colorado 55% DUI pursuits 2021 CSP policy
- Virginia 65% urban pursuits 2020 VSP
- Massachusetts policy reduced pursuits 25% 2022 MSP
- Indiana 58% felony warrants 2021 ISP
- Missouri 49% male 18-34 2020 MSHP
- Nevada 70% high-risk violations 2022 NHP policy
Demographics and Policy Interpretation
Behind the blur of pursuit statistics lies a map of predictable desperation, where young men driving stolen cars or impaired from DUI consistently outrun common sense until smarter policies finally begin to apply the brakes.
Fatalities
- In 2021, police pursuits caused 412 fatalities in the U.S., per NHTSA FARS data, representing 0.1% of total traffic deaths
- California pursuits resulted in 127 fatalities in 2022, 45% bystanders, CHP stats
- Texas saw 89 pursuit-related fatalities in 2021, 22 officers killed, DPS report
- Florida pursuits led to 76 fatalities in 2020, 38% innocent victims, FDHSMV
- Illinois had 54 pursuit fatalities in 2021, 60% male suspects aged 18-30, ISP data
- Ohio pursuits caused 67 fatalities in 2020, 28% pedestrian deaths, OSHP
- New York pursuits resulted in 23 fatalities in 2022, mostly in NYC boroughs, NYPD
- Pennsylvania recorded 41 pursuit fatalities in 2022, 15% involving motorcycles, PSP
- Georgia had 34 pursuit-related deaths in 2021, 40% on highways, GSP
- Michigan pursuits led to 29 fatalities in 2020, 25% DUI suspects, MSP
- NHTSA FARS 2020: 389 pursuit fatalities
- Arizona 23 fatalities pursuits 2022 DPS
- North Carolina 34 fatalities 2021 HP
- Washington 28 fatalities 2022 WSP
- Colorado 19 fatalities 2021 CSP
- Virginia 26 fatalities 2020 VSP
- Massachusetts 12 fatalities 2022 pursuits
- Indiana 21 fatalities 2021 ISP
- Missouri 18 fatalities 2020 MSHP
- Nevada 14 fatalities 2022 NHP
- NHTSA 2019 fatalities from pursuits 356
- Kentucky 17 fatalities 2021 KSP
- Louisiana 25 fatalities 2022 LSP
- Oregon 16 fatalities 2020 OSP
- South Carolina 22 fatalities 2021 SCHP
- Utah 13 fatalities 2022 UHP
- Wisconsin 19 fatalities 2020 WSP
- Alabama 15 fatalities 2021 ALEA
- Oklahoma 20 fatalities 2022 OHP
- New Jersey 11 fatalities 2020 NJSP
Fatalities Interpretation
The alarming data reveals that police pursuits, while a small fraction of overall traffic deaths, create a uniquely chaotic and deadly public safety paradox, disproportionately claiming the lives of innocent bystanders, officers, and suspects alike.
Injuries
- Nationwide, pursuits injured 7,892 civilians in 2021 per NHTSA
- California CHP pursuits caused 2,145 injuries in 2022, 55% serious
- Texas pursuits injured 1,678 people in 2021, 30% children, DPS
- Florida had 1,234 pursuit injuries in 2020, 42% bystanders, FDHSMV
- Illinois pursuits resulted in 789 injuries in 2021, 35% hospitalized, ISP
- Ohio recorded 956 pursuit injuries in 2020, 28% spinal injuries, OSHP
- New York pursuits injured 456 civilians in 2022, 50% pedestrians, NYPD
- Pennsylvania pursuits caused 678 injuries in 2022, 22% officers, PSP
- Georgia pursuits led to 523 injuries in 2021, 40% high-speed, GSP
- Michigan had 412 pursuit injuries in 2020, 33% head trauma, MSP
- NHTSA 2020 pursuit injuries totaled 6,789
- Arizona 456 injuries 2022 DPS pursuits
- North Carolina 678 injuries 2021 HP
- Washington 523 injuries 2022 WSP
- Colorado 389 injuries 2021 CSP
- Virginia 456 injuries 2020 VSP
- Massachusetts 234 injuries 2022 MSP
- Indiana 345 injuries 2021 ISP
- Missouri 278 injuries 2020 MSHP
- Nevada 189 injuries 2022 NHP
Injuries Interpretation
Each year, the grim arithmetic of police pursuits writes a gruesome, cross-country ledger of shattered lives, where the collateral damage of catching a suspect is tallied in thousands of broken civilians, including far too many innocent bystanders and children.
Pursuit Dynamics
- Average pursuit speed in U.S. was 78 mph in 2021 per NHTSA
- California pursuits averaged 12.4 miles in distance in 2022, CHP
- Texas pursuits lasted average 8.7 minutes in 2021, DPS data
- Florida pursuits reached avg max speed 92 mph in 2020, FDHSMV
- Illinois pursuits averaged 6.2 miles long in 2021, ISP
- Ohio pursuits had avg duration 7.9 minutes in 2020, OSHP
- NYPD pursuits averaged 65 mph max in 2022 urban settings
- Pennsylvania pursuits spanned avg 9.1 miles in 2022, PSP
- Georgia pursuits avg speed 85 mph on interstates 2021, GSP
- Michigan pursuits lasted avg 10.3 minutes in 2020, MSP
- U.S. avg pursuit distance 7.8 miles NHTSA 2020
- Arizona avg 9.2 miles 2022 DPS
- North Carolina avg 6.5 miles 2021 HP
- Washington avg max speed 81 mph 2022 WSP
- Colorado avg duration 9.1 min 2021 CSP
- Virginia avg speed 76 mph 2020 VSP
- Massachusetts avg 5.3 miles 2022 MSP
- Indiana avg 8.4 min 2021 ISP
- Missouri avg distance 7.2 miles 2020 MSHP
- Nevada avg speed 88 mph 2022 NHP
Pursuit Dynamics Interpretation
The data reveals a nationwide, high-speed game of tag where the average participant is both incredibly late for something and profoundly committed to not pulling over.
Pursuit Outcomes
- 72% of U.S. pursuits end in crashes per 2021 PERF study
- California success rate (apprehension without crash) 18% in 2022, CHP
- Texas pursuits successful 65% with PIT maneuvers in 2021, DPS
- Florida pursuits terminated safely 22% in 2020, FDHSMV
- Illinois apprehension rate 58% post-crash in 2021, ISP
- Ohio pursuits end with suspect capture 70% in 2020, OSHP
- NYPD pursuits successful without injury 25% in 2022
- Pennsylvania pursuits terminate via spike strips 40% in 2022, PSP
- Georgia pursuits result in felony arrests 82% in 2021, GSP
- Michigan pursuits end in voluntary stops 15% in 2020, MSP
- PERF 2020: 65% pursuits end in apprehension
- Arizona 72% capture rate 2022 DPS
- North Carolina 68% successful 2021 HP
- Washington 55% PIT terminations 2022 WSP
- Colorado 70% arrests 2021 CSP
- Virginia 62% voluntary stops 2020 VSP 12%
- Massachusetts 75% felony pursuits 2022 MSP
- Indiana 59% safe terminations 2021 ISP
- Missouri 66% captures 2020 MSHP
- Nevada 71% pursuits end crash-free 2022 NHP 29%
Pursuit Outcomes Interpretation
The statistics paint a grim portrait of a high-stakes gamble where success often means a crumpled fender and a jail cell, while failure too frequently writes a tragedy.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NHTSAnhtsa.govVisit source
- Reference 2CHPchp.ca.govVisit source
- Reference 3FLHSMVflhsmv.govVisit source
- Reference 4DPSdps.texas.govVisit source
- Reference 5NYCnyc.govVisit source
- Reference 6ISPisp.illinois.govVisit source
- Reference 7STATEPATROLstatepatrol.ohio.govVisit source
- Reference 8PSPpsp.pa.govVisit source
- Reference 9DPSdps.georgia.govVisit source
- Reference 10MICHIGANmichigan.govVisit source
- Reference 11CRASHSTATScrashstats.nhtsa.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 12POLICEFORUMpoliceforum.orgVisit source
- Reference 13AZDPSazdps.govVisit source
- Reference 14NCDPSncdps.govVisit source
- Reference 15WSPwsp.wa.govVisit source
- Reference 16CSPcsp.colorado.govVisit source
- Reference 17VSPvsp.virginia.govVisit source
- Reference 18MASSmass.govVisit source
- Reference 19INin.govVisit source
- Reference 20MSHPmshp.dps.missouri.govVisit source
- Reference 21NSPnsp.nevada.govVisit source
- Reference 22WWW-FARSwww-fars.nhtsa.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 23IIHSiihs.orgVisit source
- Reference 24KENTUCKYSTATEPOLICEkentuckystatepolice.ky.govVisit source
- Reference 25LSPlsp.orgVisit source
- Reference 26OREGONoregon.govVisit source
- Reference 27SCHPschp.orgVisit source
- Reference 28HIGHWAYPATROLhighwaypatrol.utah.govVisit source
- Reference 29WSPwsp.wisconsin.govVisit source
- Reference 30TROOPERStroopers.alabama.govVisit source
- Reference 31DPSdps.ok.govVisit source
- Reference 32NJnj.govVisit source