Cops Have An Amazing New Tool To Stop Cars That Blow Through Checkpoints

Law enforcement officers have a new tool to quickly halt vehicle pursuits or drivers who blow through checkpoints.

The device is called Pit-BUL (short for Pit-Ballistic Undercarriage Lanyard) and its makers at the Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company say it can stop anything from a compact car to an SUV.

The vehicle-arresting system is essentially a row of metal darts that puncture front tires and netting that ensnares the wheels and axle.

“If a driver blows through a checkpoint, the agent can press a button and the car’s tires are spiked and netted in milliseconds,” says Mark Kaczmarek, a program manager with Department of Homeland Security, which funded development of the technology. “No high-speed pursuit is needed, and no one’s life is put at risk.”

Txchnologist is a digital magazine presented by GE that focuses on innovation in science and technology.