HC Deb 09 November 1989 vol 159 c753W
Mr. David Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of fatalities involved with joy riding and on the measures he recommends local police forces to take when giving chase to those who steal cars.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The police service faces a genuine dilemma between the apprehension of offenders and the safety of the public. On many occasions when a driver fails to stop, the police do not know whether they are dealing with a joy rider or a more serious crime. The police manual "Roadcraft", which is used as the basis for police driver training, states that no emergency is so urgent as to justify an accident. This is emphasised in the more detailed guidance which chief officers give members of their forces.

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