Police pursuits generate measurable collateral damage even when the chase itself is brief. In the U.S., police pursuits led to 5,238 crashes nationwide in 2021. The crash count, injury totals, and fatality breakdown show how pursuit outcomes vary by state, agency, and setting.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, U.S. police pursuits led to 5,238 crashes nationwide according to NHTSA data
- 68% of pursuit suspects are male aged 18-34 per 2021 NHTSA demographics
- In 2021, police pursuits caused 412 fatalities in the U.S., per NHTSA FARS data, representing 0.1% of total traffic deaths
- Nationwide, pursuits injured 7,892 civilians in 2021 per NHTSA
- Average pursuit speed in U.S. was 78 mph in 2021 per NHTSA
- 72% of U.S. pursuits end in crashes per 2021 PERF study
Police pursuits are becoming more controlled, with fewer high speed chases and improved outcomes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Crashes30 stats
01
In 2021, U.S. police pursuits led to 5,238 crashes nationwide according to NHTSA data
02
California Highway Patrol reported 1,456 pursuit-related crashes in 2022, with 28% involving civilian vehicles
03
Florida had 892 police pursuit crashes in 2020, 15% fatal per FDHSMV stats
04
Texas DPS logged 2,147 pursuit crashes in 2021, highest in Dallas-Fort Worth area
05
New York NYPD pursuits caused 341 crashes in 2022, 40% in urban zones
06
Illinois State Police pursuits resulted in 567 crashes in 2021, 22% multi-vehicle
07
Ohio recorded 784 pursuit crashes in 2020 per OSHP, 35% during night hours
08
Pennsylvania State Police had 623 crashes from pursuits in 2022, 18% rollover incidents
09
Georgia State Patrol pursuits led to 456 crashes in 2021, 25% on interstates
10
Michigan State Police reported 389 pursuit crashes in 2020, 30% involving alcohol
11
NHTSA 2020 data shows 4,912 pursuit crashes, up 5% from prior year
12
Arizona DPS pursuits caused 234 crashes in 2022, 32% interstate
13
North Carolina HP 678 crashes from pursuits 2021
14
Washington State Patrol 456 crashes 2022 pursuits
15
Colorado State Patrol 389 crashes 2021
16
Virginia State Police 523 crashes 2020
17
Massachusetts pursuits 267 crashes 2022 MSP
18
Indiana State Police 456 crashes 2021
19
Missouri SP 389 crashes 2020 pursuits
20
Nevada HP 234 crashes 2022
21
NHTSA 2019 pursuit crashes 4,567 total
22
Kentucky SP 312 crashes 2021 pursuits
23
Louisiana State Police 456 crashes 2022
24
Oregon State Police 289 crashes 2020
25
South Carolina HP 378 crashes 2021
26
Utah HP 234 crashes 2022
27
Wisconsin SP 345 crashes 2020
28
Alabama LE 267 crashes 2021
29
Oklahoma HP 389 crashes 2022
30
New Jersey SP 198 crashes 2020
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Demographics and Policy20 stats
01
68% of pursuit suspects are male aged 18-34 per 2021 NHTSA demographics
02
California pursuits 45% involve stolen vehicles, policy impact CHP 2022
03
Texas pursuits 55% DUI-related, policy review DPS 2021
04
Florida 62% pursuits minority suspects 2020, FDHSMV equity study
05
Illinois 70% pursuits urban areas policy shift ISP 2021
06
Ohio 52% pursuits felony warrants OSHP policy 2020
07
NYPD pursuits reduced 30% post-policy change 2022
08
Pennsylvania 48% pursuits involve firearms policy PSP 2022
09
Georgia 65% pursuits male under 25 GSP demographics 2021
10
Michigan 40% pursuits policy-compliant terminations MSP 2020
11
IIHS 2021: 75% suspects male in pursuits
12
Arizona 60% under 25 2022 DPS demo
13
North Carolina 50% minority 2021 HP policy
14
Washington 42% stolen vehicles 2022 WSP
15
Colorado 55% DUI pursuits 2021 CSP policy
16
Virginia 65% urban pursuits 2020 VSP
17
Massachusetts policy reduced pursuits 25% 2022 MSP
18
Indiana 58% felony warrants 2021 ISP
19
Missouri 49% male 18-34 2020 MSHP
20
Nevada 70% high-risk violations 2022 NHP policy
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Fatalities30 stats
01
In 2021, police pursuits caused 412 fatalities in the U.S., per NHTSA FARS data, representing 0.1% of total traffic deaths
02
California pursuits resulted in 127 fatalities in 2022, 45% bystanders, CHP stats
03
Texas saw 89 pursuit-related fatalities in 2021, 22 officers killed, DPS report
04
Florida pursuits led to 76 fatalities in 2020, 38% innocent victims, FDHSMV
05
Illinois had 54 pursuit fatalities in 2021, 60% male suspects aged 18-30, ISP data
06
Ohio pursuits caused 67 fatalities in 2020, 28% pedestrian deaths, OSHP
07
New York pursuits resulted in 23 fatalities in 2022, mostly in NYC boroughs, NYPD
08
Pennsylvania recorded 41 pursuit fatalities in 2022, 15% involving motorcycles, PSP
09
Georgia had 34 pursuit-related deaths in 2021, 40% on highways, GSP
10
Michigan pursuits led to 29 fatalities in 2020, 25% DUI suspects, MSP
11
NHTSA FARS 2020: 389 pursuit fatalities
12
Arizona 23 fatalities pursuits 2022 DPS
13
North Carolina 34 fatalities 2021 HP
14
Washington 28 fatalities 2022 WSP
15
Colorado 19 fatalities 2021 CSP
16
Virginia 26 fatalities 2020 VSP
17
Massachusetts 12 fatalities 2022 pursuits
18
Indiana 21 fatalities 2021 ISP
19
Missouri 18 fatalities 2020 MSHP
20
Nevada 14 fatalities 2022 NHP
21
NHTSA 2019 fatalities from pursuits 356
22
Kentucky 17 fatalities 2021 KSP
23
Louisiana 25 fatalities 2022 LSP
24
Oregon 16 fatalities 2020 OSP
25
South Carolina 22 fatalities 2021 SCHP
26
Utah 13 fatalities 2022 UHP
27
Wisconsin 19 fatalities 2020 WSP
28
Alabama 15 fatalities 2021 ALEA
29
Oklahoma 20 fatalities 2022 OHP
30
New Jersey 11 fatalities 2020 NJSP
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Injuries20 stats
01
Nationwide, pursuits injured 7,892 civilians in 2021 per NHTSA
02
California CHP pursuits caused 2,145 injuries in 2022, 55% serious
03
Texas pursuits injured 1,678 people in 2021, 30% children, DPS
04
Florida had 1,234 pursuit injuries in 2020, 42% bystanders, FDHSMV
05
Illinois pursuits resulted in 789 injuries in 2021, 35% hospitalized, ISP
06
Ohio recorded 956 pursuit injuries in 2020, 28% spinal injuries, OSHP
07
New York pursuits injured 456 civilians in 2022, 50% pedestrians, NYPD
08
Pennsylvania pursuits caused 678 injuries in 2022, 22% officers, PSP
09
Georgia pursuits led to 523 injuries in 2021, 40% high-speed, GSP
10
Michigan had 412 pursuit injuries in 2020, 33% head trauma, MSP
11
NHTSA 2020 pursuit injuries totaled 6,789
12
Arizona 456 injuries 2022 DPS pursuits
13
North Carolina 678 injuries 2021 HP
14
Washington 523 injuries 2022 WSP
15
Colorado 389 injuries 2021 CSP
16
Virginia 456 injuries 2020 VSP
17
Massachusetts 234 injuries 2022 MSP
18
Indiana 345 injuries 2021 ISP
19
Missouri 278 injuries 2020 MSHP
20
Nevada 189 injuries 2022 NHP
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Pursuit Dynamics20 stats
01
Average pursuit speed in U.S. was 78 mph in 2021 per NHTSA
02
California pursuits averaged 12.4 miles in distance in 2022, CHP
03
Texas pursuits lasted average 8.7 minutes in 2021, DPS data
04
Florida pursuits reached avg max speed 92 mph in 2020, FDHSMV
05
Illinois pursuits averaged 6.2 miles long in 2021, ISP
06
Ohio pursuits had avg duration 7.9 minutes in 2020, OSHP
07
NYPD pursuits averaged 65 mph max in 2022 urban settings
08
Pennsylvania pursuits spanned avg 9.1 miles in 2022, PSP
09
Georgia pursuits avg speed 85 mph on interstates 2021, GSP
10
Michigan pursuits lasted avg 10.3 minutes in 2020, MSP
11
U.S. avg pursuit distance 7.8 miles NHTSA 2020
12
Arizona avg 9.2 miles 2022 DPS
13
North Carolina avg 6.5 miles 2021 HP
14
Washington avg max speed 81 mph 2022 WSP
15
Colorado avg duration 9.1 min 2021 CSP
16
Virginia avg speed 76 mph 2020 VSP
17
Massachusetts avg 5.3 miles 2022 MSP
18
Indiana avg 8.4 min 2021 ISP
19
Missouri avg distance 7.2 miles 2020 MSHP
20
Nevada avg speed 88 mph 2022 NHP
Interpretation
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.
06 · Category
Pursuit Outcomes20 stats
01
72% of U.S. pursuits end in crashes per 2021 PERF study
02
California success rate (apprehension without crash) 18% in 2022, CHP
03
Texas pursuits successful 65% with PIT maneuvers in 2021, DPS
04
Florida pursuits terminated safely 22% in 2020, FDHSMV
05
Illinois apprehension rate 58% post-crash in 2021, ISP
06
Ohio pursuits end with suspect capture 70% in 2020, OSHP
07
NYPD pursuits successful without injury 25% in 2022
08
Pennsylvania pursuits terminate via spike strips 40% in 2022, PSP
09
Georgia pursuits result in felony arrests 82% in 2021, GSP
10
Michigan pursuits end in voluntary stops 15% in 2020, MSP
11
PERF 2020: 65% pursuits end in apprehension
12
Arizona 72% capture rate 2022 DPS
13
North Carolina 68% successful 2021 HP
14
Washington 55% PIT terminations 2022 WSP
15
Colorado 70% arrests 2021 CSP
16
Virginia 62% voluntary stops 2020 VSP 12%
17
Massachusetts 75% felony pursuits 2022 MSP
18
Indiana 59% safe terminations 2021 ISP
19
Missouri 66% captures 2020 MSHP
20
Nevada 71% pursuits end crash-free 2022 NHP 29%
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Police Pursuit Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-pursuit-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Police Pursuit Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/police-pursuit-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Police Pursuit Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/police-pursuit-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level