The issue of police chases continues to defy a perfect solution. There will always be guidelines. There will always be judgment calls. And there will always be evolving criminal-innocent civilian priorities.
But there will always be this reality. Unchased law-breakers, even if they’re “only” car thieves, are not known as prudent, defensive drivers. Pursued or not, those trying to put as much distance as quickly as possible between a commandeered car and its owner, will likely pay scant attention to speed limits, traffic lights and roadside signage.
Absent a police chase, innocent people are still at risk. They will still become statistics because dangerous drivers are on the road. It’s a matter of degree–and situational judgment.