What constitutes fleeing and eluding a police officer in a motor vehicle?

Fleeing and eluding a police officer in a motor vehicle involves actively ignoring or refusing to comply with a law enforcement officer's directive to stop. When an officer uses lights or sirens to signal a driver to pull over and the driver chooses to ignore this signal, it creates a situation of flight. This behavior is characterized by a deliberate decision to evade law enforcement, which can escalate into dangerous situations for all parties involved.

In contrast, failing to yield to pedestrians, speeding without justification, or stopping at a red light does not encompass the legal definition of fleeing and eluding. For instance, while failing to yield to pedestrians is a traffic violation, it does not involve an officer's attempt to stop the vehicle. Likewise, speeding alone may be a violation of traffic laws but does not necessarily indicate an attempt to flee from law enforcement. Stopping at a red light demonstrates compliance with traffic signals and does not reflect any intent to evade police. Therefore, the action of ignoring a signal to stop directly aligns with the definition of fleeing and eluding in the context of law enforcement.