A chase is something every state trooper tries to avoid. But it is stillpart of the job. In a few weeks, that job will be a little easier, andmuch safer, in every county.
The Highway Patrol is adding stop sticks to every car. The spike-filledtubes puncture the tires of a fleeing suspect no matter how quickly he'sdriving. Trooper W.B. Vaughn tried them out in Wake County before thepatrol invested statewide.
"You use them the way they're designed to be used," Trooper Vaughnexplains. "It's going to take a chase from 100 miles an hour toabout 15 miles an hour."
The technology is simple. The styrofoam tube is full of metal points thatcreate tiny holes on impact. The tire goes flat in less than a minute,quickly enough that the car can't speed, but slowly enough that the driverdoesn't crash into someone else.
"Most of the time, these people are going to stop and pull over," saysVaughn, "and maybe try to run on foot, and that's a lot safer for thepeople going down the highway."
Chases will probably be a part of state law enforcement for years, but thanks to new technology, they don't have to be as lengthy or as dangerousas before.
The Highway Patrol will shell out $300,000 dollars to equip its vehicles. The funds come from a recent lawsuit settlement, and from money thepatrol saved by using decals on its cars instead of paint.
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