Understanding the motivations of fleeing drivers: Media influences

Abstract

The New Zealand Police (‘NZ Police’) contracted the research team to deliver two pieces of research on fleeing driver events. The focus of this report is on the first piece of research, which aimed to identify and outline the motivations, circumstances and decision-making processes that are reported by individuals who have fled from Police, and their passengers. These pieces of research fit within a broader programme of research being undertaken by NZ Police on fleeing driver events. The purpose of this programme of research is to better understand the facilitators and factors involved in fleeing driver events, with the view to ensuring that Police chase policy fits with the empirical evidence for how Police chases are best conducted to keep drivers, Police, and the wider community safe.