Highway Pursuit Driving Guide: How to Make Every Arrest
Highway Pursuit puts you behind the wheel of a patrol car on a busy four-lane highway. Somewhere ahead, a getaway driver is trying to lose you in traffic. This guide explains every mechanic in the game and the tactics that lead to more arrests.
Controls
- Keyboard: steer with ← → or A D. Hold ↓ or S to brake. Press P to pause.
- Touch: put your finger on the road and drag. The patrol car smoothly follows your finger across the lanes.
You never need to press an accelerator — the car always speeds up to its top speed unless you brake. This keeps your attention on steering, which is where pursuits are won and lost.
How an arrest works
At the top of the screen is the arrest meter with the distance to the suspect next to it. There are two ways to fill the meter:
- Tailing: while you are within roughly 17 metres of the getaway car, the meter fills steadily. The distance turns green when you are close enough.
- Bumping: every time you ram the back or side of the getaway car, a quarter of the meter fills instantly and you earn 50 points. The collision slows you down a little, so follow up quickly.
When the meter is full the suspect pulls over onto the shoulder and you get an arrest bonus. A few seconds later the radio reports a new suspect and the next pursuit begins.
If you fall back further than about 40 metres, the meter starts to drain. Beyond roughly 130 metres the suspect escapes and you lose a life. The distance number turns red when an escape is close.
Understanding traffic
The four lanes move at different speeds. The left lane is the fastest and the right lane is full of slow cars and trucks. Because your car is faster than all of them, slow traffic rushes towards you quickly, while fast traffic approaches gently. That makes the left lanes easier to drive in, but the suspect knows it too.
The game always keeps at least one lane open, so there is always a way through — you just have to see it in time. Trucks are longer than cars, so give them extra room when you pass.
Obstacles the suspect throws
- Traffic cones knock a big chunk off your speed.
- Oil slicks (from the second pursuit onward) spin your car for almost a second, during which you cannot steer.
Both land directly behind the getaway car. The easiest way to avoid them is to follow the suspect one lane to the side instead of directly behind them.
Pickups
- Gold coins appear in short lines and give 25 points each.
- Nitro (blue N) gives you three seconds of much higher top speed.
- Repair kits (green +) only appear when you have lost a life, and restore one.
Tactics for more arrests
Wait for the suspect to get boxed in
The getaway driver changes lanes to get around traffic, but when every lane next to them is blocked they are forced to slow down behind a car. Watch for those moments — they are the best time to close the gap and land a bump.
Expect a panic burst
When you get very close, the suspect sometimes panics and floors it for a second or so. Don't chase recklessly through traffic during the burst; they will slow down again.
Nitro is for emergencies
Driving over a nitro canister when you are already tailing the suspect wastes it. If you can, steer around it and save it for when the distance is growing after a crash.
Braking is underrated
A crash costs a life and drops you almost to a standstill. A quick tap of the brake behind a truck costs a fraction of a second. When in doubt, brake.
Scoring summary
- Distance driven: points every second, more at higher speed.
- Coin: 25 · Bump: 50.
- Arrest: 500 plus 250 for each arrest you have made so far.
Because arrest bonuses grow every time, surviving longer is the key to a big score. Protect your lives first, and the points will follow.