Karen Robinson-Jacobs Special to the Winston-Salem Journal

Law enforcement pursuits – sparked by everything from speeders to a lack of license plates – claimed at least 42 lives in North Carolina in 2024, a review of public records shows.

The carnage continues as grief-stricken loved ones and some law enforcement officials push for tighter restrictions on police chases.

As part of a three-month investigation, the Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team examined records from the North Carolina Department of Transportation outlining the tragic outcomes of 152 police pursuits in the state beginning in 2018.

Data from the DOT show that 2024 had the most pursuit fatalities recorded of any recent year – seven more than the 35 deaths recorded for 2023. The deaths stemmed from at least

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