Spike Strip

“	The Official SCPD Stop Stick, this equipment drops a deadly tire shredder from the back of your car. Position your vehicle ahead of your target and deploy to cause instant damage and slow your target down.	”
— Manual (SCPD)

“	Reverse engineered from the SCPD's standard-issue spike strip deployment system, use one of these to drop a deadly tire shredder directly behind your car - perfect for taking care of persistent Cops.	”
— Manual (Racer)

A Spike Strip is an Equipment item for cops and racers in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered.

Offered to cops and racers, a spike strip is a device that can be dropped from the rear of a car and then extends across a road with a series of spikes across it. It is designed to burst the tyres of any cars that drive over it, resulting in any car that does to spin out, slow down, and incur a small amount of damage.

Strips can be dropped from the rear of any racer, SCPD interceptor unit, or engaged SCPD helicopter units. Any strips dropped are live nearly immediately being deployed and are non-discriminatory in their effectiveness; capable of damaging adversaries, fellow team members, and the player that drops a strip.

Each deployed strip flashes with coloured lights at either end of its reach and its centre, with a blue colour indicating an SCPD interceptor or helicopter unit deployed strip and a red colour indicating a racer deployed strip.

Any deployed spike strips can be immediately deactivated and will collapse should they be within range of an activated Jammer.

Unlock

Level I

A level one spike strip is a basic equipment item and a single strip at a time can be deployed from the rear of any racer or SCPD interceptor unit, although there is a short delay before it is activated after landing onto a surface.

It is used by all levels of the SCPD's aerial support unit.

Cop

Players will be allowed to deploy a level one spike strip as soon they have been approved for usage by command:

• Cop Career - First offered during a Traffic Police event: "Fighting Dirty".
• Online Multiplayer - Available from the beginning.

Racer

Players will be allowed to deploy a level one spike strip as soon as they have been acquired:

• Cop Career - First offered during a Sports Series event: "Breach of the Peace".
• Online Multiplayer - Available from the beginning.

Level II

A level two spike strip is 50% wider, covering a larger span of a road or surface, and is 30% longer for a greater surface area. It will also activate the moment it lands onto a surface after being deployed.

Cop

Players will be upgraded to deploy level two spike strips when playing as a cop upon reaching the "10 Successful Spike Strips" cop milestone.

Racer - "Shredder"

Players will be upgraded to deploy level two spike strips when playing as a racer upon reaching the "10 Successful Spike Strips" racer milestone.

Level III

A level three spike strip is equipped with MDLS (Multiple Device Launching System) and allows for two spike strips to be deployed instead of one for each usage. The system immediately deploys a level two spike strip with a second level two spike strip following after a short delay, and both spike strips will be active the moment they land onto a surface.

Cop

Players will be upgraded to deploy level three spike strips when playing as a cop upon reaching the "25 Successful Spike Strips" cop milestone.

Racer - "Shredder"

Players will be upgraded to deploy level three spike strips when playing as a racer upon reaching the "25 Successful Spike Strips" racer milestone.

Trivia

• Cars exceedingly close to the rear of a car deploying a spike strip will not be affected by a strip until it touches the ground.
• Spike strips maintain some degree of momentum after being deployment and will continue to slide across a surface until eventually stopping.
• Players can deploy spike strips during a crash.
• Spike strips only last for a few seconds before disappearing. Hitting a strip or jamming it also causes it to disappear.
• A spike strip is referred to as a 'spike belt' (スパイクベルト) in the Japanese localised release of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010).
• Spike strips for racers are replaced with oil slicks in the mobile release.