Deadly force at 100 mph: Georgia troopers' heavy use of PIT maneuvers takes its toll

The "Precision Immobilization Technique" is a maneuver used by law enforcement to force a fleeing vehicle to spin off to the side of the road in a controlled pattern. Georgia State Patrol troopers used the PIT maneuver in more than 2,000 chases from 2019 through 2023 and routinely utilized the maneuver during chases that exceeded the speed limit, sometimes in excess of 100 mph. This reliance on PIT maneuvers has contributed to Georgia having the highest death rate in police pursuits of any state in the country in recent years, according to an AJC analysis of federal crash data, U.S. Census population estimates and GSP pursuit data. Credit: Georgia State Police, East Point Police, Richardson Family