WHILE IT IS NOT clear-cut whether the July 2 high-speed chase that led to 29-year-old Melissa Busby’s death was justified, there is no debating that too many innocent people die during hot pursuits.

State lawmakers can help keep innocent motorists and bystanders alive by working with law enforcement to set a strict pursuit policy. If clear guidelines are in place, there will be no question as to whether a chase should occur.

Many people are understandably challenging whether troopers should have chased Ricky Robinson on July 2 when he fled from a DUI checkpoint in Boiling Springs. When Mr. Robinson pulled in to the checkpoint, a trooper spotted an open bottle of alcohol in the car he was driving. As another trooper sought to get Mr. Robinson to hand over his driver’s license, Mr. Robinson sped off. As he was being chased along Platt Springs Road, Mr. Robinson’s Ford Taurus crashed into a Ford Mustang driven by Ms. Busby. Both were killed.

Some who question the merit of this chase say troopers knew who Mr. Robinson was and could have picked him up later. One could argue that this chase was needed to get a potentially drunken driver off the road immediately. But is it wise to chase someone who may be driving drunk over populated roadways?

We don’t know whether this chase was justified. But we do know two lives were lost. We can’t justify the death of Ms. Busby, an innocent motorist. This is the latest, sad chapter in a recurring story line: Innocent motorists and bystanders often get injured or killed during high-speed chases. These well-intentioned attempts to serve justice can quickly end in tragedy.

Frankly, putting the public at risk is rarely worth a high-speed chase, particularly when the crime is nonviolent. We appreciate law enforcement officers’ zeal to protect the public and catch criminals. But there are some times when officers must use better judgment and call off pursuits in order to save innocent lives.

Our aim isn’t to stop all high-speed chases; officers must sometimes pursue criminals who pose an immediate threat. But sound policy and good judgment can limit the number of pursuits and spare innocents.

Unfortunately, there are no uniform guidelines governing when the many law enforcement agencies in our state should engage in a high-speed chase. Some agencies have policies. Others don’t. Some allow officers to decide on their own when to pursue. That’s bad policy.

Agencies should follow strict pursuit guidelines. They should not be left to figure this out alone in the heat of the moment. State lawmakers should give policing agencies strong policy statements on how chases should be handled.

While we normally champion local control, this is an issue that should be addressed on a statewide basis, since chases can easily cross multiple jurisdictional lines. In such a case, the confusion caused by differing policies can create even more of a danger to the public.

This upcoming legislative session, lawmakers should work with law enforcement to develop a uniform pursuit policy and improved training in pursuit techniques.

In the interim, all departments should re-examine their existing policies and training practices. The adjustments they make could save the lives of innocent South Carolinians.