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My thoughts are that to even consider doing away with pursuits is ludicrous and here is an example why:
At the moment if you are driving intoxicated/stolen car/disqualified etc there is always the knowledge that you could get caught and if you try and get away you will be chased by the police. I think that is a reasonable deterrent, it doesn't stop everybody of course but it will stop quite a bit of this behaviour occurring.
If the policy is amended to prevent police pursuits this deterrent is removed completely so why stop at all?
Now at this point you will say well the police can just get the rego and go around to someone's address and get them the next day.
This is frought with problems however.
For a start if the car is stolen you won't know where it will be. If the person is intoxicated by the next day they will have sobered up.
But the main issue here is trying to prove who was driving at the time.
Imagine trying to ID someone in a moving vehicle at night, pretty much impossible.
All police can do if the registered owner will not say who was driving the vehicle at the time is serve them a notice which gives them 14 days to come up with the details.
After this 14 day period is up they can then be prosecuted. However, the maximum penalty for failing to provide this info is a fine only. Realistically you are looking at a fine under $500 including court costs unless you have masses of criminal history.
So with the current system you stand a very good chance of getting caught. If you are intoxicated, driving a stolen car or disqualified these offences all carry a possible term of imprisonment and further disqualification of your licence.
Take away the police pursuits and drivers will just take off at every oppurtunity, knowing that the police will not give chase and also knowing that down the line the worst that will happen to them is the registered owner may get fined.
So what is the solution?
If anything is to change I think it needs to change at a government level and there needs to be stiffer penalties for those that do not stop and also for the owners of the vehicles that do not co-operate later. There should also be mandartory imprisonment for drivers that injure or kill others whilst fleeing from the police. I think a minimum of 7 years for any life taken would be a good starting point.
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