Two police pursuits have ended in crashes in Victoria, one of which left three people in hospital.
Both pursuits started when the drivers failed to stop for routine intercepts, police say.
Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill says officers are aware of the risks associated with pursuits.
"Our police members are going about their business of keeping our roads and our communities safe," he told reporters on Monday.
"Our members are acutely aware of the risks that result with engaging a police pursuit and then continuing in a police pursuit."
On average there were three or four police pursuits a day, with a total of 950 in 2012, he said.
In the first incident in the Ballarat suburb of Wendouree, police were pursuing a Holden Commodore sedan which collided with another car on Sunday evening.
The Commodore driver, a 39-year-old Sebastopol man, was arrested and taken to hospital with minor injuries.
A female passenger was also treated for non-life threatening injuries after being trapped in the car.
A 70-year-old woman in the other car was also taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Another pursuit in the Melbourne suburb of Skye ended when the black Holden Calais lost control and collided with a guard rail about 4.30am (AEDT) on Monday.
A man and a woman were arrested but have since been released pending further investigation.
Police want to speak with two other men, believed to be in their 20s, who fled the scene.
In a separate incident at Fawkner on Sunday night police tried to intercept a car which didn't stop and hit a traffic signal and another vehicle.
Mr Hill said officers were following the car as it allegedly had a false licence plate but it was not technically considered to be a pursuit.
A 24-year-old Hadfield man has been charged with reckless conduct endangering a person and disqualified driving.
