Halting High-Speed Pursuits

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Thanks in part to NASA research, law enforcement now has better "teeth" to take a bite out of crime.

A tire deflation device (TDD) is a strip that contains embedded metal spikes. The strip is thrown over the road in front of a speeding vehicle, deflating the tires and forcing it to stop. This device lets law enforcement stop a speeding vehicle safely, often without the need of a dangerous high-speed pursuit.

The goal of the design is to keep spikes attached to the strip unless a tire runs over them. In reality, spikes that didn't puncture the tires were often knocked loose by fleeing cars and trucks, scattering across the road and creating a potential problem for other motorists, plus a clean-up nuisance for police officers.

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