When someone decides to flee from law enforcement, the danger doesn’t stop with that individual. It spreads into neighborhoods, onto highways, and into the paths of innocent families simply trying to get home safely.

That is why strengthening Alabama’s laws on attempting to elude police is not only reasonable, but necessary.

We fully endorse legislation that would make attempting to elude a felony offense.

Under HB37 and SB233, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram and Sen. Lance Bell, what is currently a Class A misdemeanor would become a Class D felony. This change would impose real consequences on behavior that already carries real and often tragic risk.

Attempting to flee law enforcement is not a harmless act. High-speed pursuits and reckless evasions place lives in immediate jeopardy: the lives of officers sworn to protect the public, pedestrians along roadways, drivers sharing the highway, and even passengers riding with the suspect.

Every pursuit carries the potential for catastrophic injury or death, and too often, that risk becomes reality.

Current penalties do not reflect the seriousness of this danger. Under existing law, someone who attempts to elude police faces up to one year in jail and a $6,000 fine.

For conduct that can escalate into deadly force in a matter of seconds, that punishment falls short. The proposed legislation would raise the stakes appropriately, allowing for a sentence of 366 days to five years in prison, sending a clear message that fleeing from police is not a game, not a momentary lapse in judgment, and not something society will lightly excuse.

Critics may argue that harsher penalties will not deter individuals who are already breaking the law.

But accountability still matters. Laws exist not only to punish after the fact, but to establish boundaries that protect the public. Elevating attempting to elude to a felony signals that Alabama recognizes the gravity of this conduct and prioritizes the safety of its communities.

This legislation is not about criminalizing fear or encouraging over-policing. It is about discouraging behavior that predictably leads to injury, loss of life, and chaos on our roads.

Law enforcement officers do not initiate pursuits lightly, and suspects who choose to flee make a conscious decision to endanger everyone around them.

Lives are in jeopardy when suspects flee from police.

Strengthening this law is a common-sense step toward safer streets, safer officers, and safer communities. Alabama should act accordingly.