tonight on "nightline," fast and furious. high-speed chases with police in hot pursuit. life imitating movies, imitating life. we take you to the car chase capital of america. extreme seal camp. jump out of a chopper. take a swim tied up like a hostage, shoot and be shot at, we go on one tough vacation where campers pay two train and sweat just like a real navy s.e.a.l. plus, ever wonder if you have what it takes to battle the undead. well, now you can be stalked and surrounded by terrifying horde of zombies for a price. we'll take you to a zombie

apocalypse. zombie apocalypse. >> good evening. i'm terry moran. you know, there's nothing like a high-octane car chase down narrow city streets in a shoot 'em up action drama. in the movies innocent bystanders seem to escape in the nick of time. but the harsh reality is these high-speed pursuits kill over 300 americans every year, and abc's david wright comes to us from the car chase capital of the country, california. >> reporter: the thrill of the chase, an adrenaline rush, so much so that in hollywood movies like "2 fast 2 furious" or "gone in 60 seconds" are little more than vehicles for the vehicles. in other movies the car chase is

what makes the drama that much more dramatic. who could forget popeye doyle racing through brooklyn in the french connection, possibly the most famous police car chase of all. in real life, that high-speed drama happens almost every day on america's roads. today in dallas, police chased a big rig truck down a texas freeway, tossing spikes in its path to try and force it off the road. last week in lubbock, texas, a toddler was bounced out the window of a careening suv. miraculously, the child survived. that's him there running around on the road. and over the weekend here in los angeles, a real-life "fast and furious." the driver of this mercedes topped out at 125 miles an hour, but finally crashed head on into a family vacationing from miami. >> i just remember swerving off

away from a car coming at me, and then i just rolled over. when everything stopped, i remember looking at my son hanging from his car seat upside down and my wife screaming. >> reporter: his 3-year-old son was one of five people taken to the hospital. luckily no one seriously injured. police say the driver was under the influence, and that's often the case. in real life, these don't tend to be bank robbers fleeing the scene of a shoot-out. 90% of the time it's just a routine traffic stop gone awry. why do suspects flee? nearly half are driving under the influence. nearly one out of three are driving stolen cars. one out of four driving without a license and, presumably, without insurance either. california is the hands-down capital of the high-speed chase. ever since the slow-speed chase with o.j. simpson and that infamous white bronco. police chases are so common here, there's a youtube channel

devoted to them. >> running stop signs. >> reporter: local stations break into normal programming and follow along until the chase is done. >> he's now bailing. >> oh, boy. >> reporter: new data from the california highway patrol shows more than 10,000 people have been injured in ten years. more than 300 killed. stephanie yablo's parents were killed outside a shopping mall as police chased a buick. >> a car came around the corner and literally slammed into them in the crosswalk. >> reporter: so they were badly injured? >> horrifically injured. i'd never seen anything like that. >> a lot has changed since the old "chips" tv show when ponch and john seemed to end every episode with a chase. these days the highway patrol tries to discourage dangerous chases deploying spikes to try to deflate tires, boxing cars in to try and force them to a stop

or watching from the sky. the chp now has planes that can read a license plate from a mile away. >> there are officers that can say, okay, we don't need to pursue at a high rate of speed because right now we have our airplane that's following and we can strategically make sure that we have officers at different locations. the california highway patrol notes that out of 4 million traffic stops last year, fewer than one-half of 1% ended with a motorist fleeing the scene. >> it's important to realize that traffic stops are one of the most dangerous things that law enforcement officers do. we don't know what else is going on until the enforcement stop is made and a lot of times we find out there's more serious crimes involved. >> reporter: but stephanie wonders, why bother chasing when there's such high-risks involved? >> the cops are doing an amazing job but sometimes their egos are in the way and i think they should be held to

higher standards. >> she and others would like to see fewer crazy car chases out on the road. the "thelma and louise" ending should be strictly a movie vehicle. i'm david wright for "nightline" in los angeles. >> 90% were traffic stops. thanks to david for that. just ahead, crawl in the dirt, do some target practice, pop out of a speeding helicopter at a camp where you can train like the real navy s.e.a.l. team 6.

those little things still get you. for you, life's about her. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity.

do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. [ snoring ] [ clears throat ] hop to, gang. it's showtime. uh, do you know this guy? i'm not gonna cry, am i? only if you don't believe in the power of friendship. really? you guys are good. [ male announcer ] your favorite movies right when you want them. watch unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through your game console or other devices, all for only 8 bucks a month from netflix.

that's so cute, it's stupid. a summertime question, would you pay nearly $2,000 to push the limits of your physical endurance in a grueling week-long test?

well, some people call it vacation, and they're attending an extreme fitness camp modelled after the fierce training regimen of america's most elite soldiers, america's navy s.e.a.l. team 6. is it fun? we sent my co-anchor, bill weir, to find out. >> let's go. >> reporter: some guys golf. some guys fish. some guys lay on the beach and drink, but these guys are spending their vacation at almost 2,000 bucks a week doing sit-ups until they're ready to puke. they're eating mud while being sprayed with pellet guns. setting their shoulders on fire with 500-pound logs. and jumping out of the occasional helicopter into a freezing river, all while being insulted with real salient profanity.

>> in a microsecond, if you are [ bleep ] something up, i'll make sure i correct that. >> reporter: welcome to the extreme s.e.a.l. experience, the closest most mortals will ever get to tasting the pain and glory of basic underwater demolition school, a meat-grinder school where 80% of the men who enter fail. but chief fooch and sniper buzic and senior chief shiply not only made it, but became s.e.a.l. instructors. how authentic is this experience to life of a s.e.a.l.? is it just a little taste? >> it's a little taste. it's education. you want to be a pro quarterback, you go to a football camp and hang out with those guys. same thing here. >> reporter: since s.e.a.l. team 6 put a couple shots in bin laden's face, his camps are packed with a mix of young wannabes and old dreamers, like doug who had to promise his wife a trip to jamaica to let him come. >> mid-life crisis. you got a corvette. i came here.

>> reporter: there's allen waller, a minister from philadelphia. >> i don't believe in violence, but i do believe in defense. i appreciate knowing how to handle myself. >> reporter: and then there are young guys like jeff, who's actually on his way to b.u.d.s. >> i've wanted to be a s.e.a.l. since fifth grade. i didn't just want to be in the military. i wanted to be top of the food chain. >> reporter: he's the kind of quiet guy you'd dismiss until he holds his breath for 3 1/2 minutes. >> the difference between s.e.a.l. team and all the other courses is that big black scary ocean out there and the lack of guys who are comfortable in it. that's why it's such a small fraternity. >> reporter: and on hell night, these desk jockeys, high school students and suburban dads are forged into warrior teams. on the anvils, pain and humiliation.

♪ turn yourself around >> humor me. >> just get you guys out here and do this stuff for no good reason. there's a point to it. to show you guys, reach deep. focus, get the team thing going. >> reporter: for one of the men, it's too much. chest pains and labored breathing sends him to the emergency room. the diagnosis, bruised ribs. >> he's okay. but it's very dangerous out there. >> reporter: but for those who grind through, the rest of the week is full of elaborate war games. demolition charges are set. the hostages are rescued. >> okay, i'm a little stressed, so quit pissing me off for hours. >> reporter: sure when they miss a turn and paddle in circle for hours you bet there's no taliban in the area that night. >> let me just tell you guys,

you were so late, you failed this op. >> reporter: but i quickly learned that blasting terrorists, walking the wall commando style and tasting the shock and awe of a 50-caliber sniper rifle -- >> that will clear your sinuses. >> reporter: -- are only part of the assure. what they are really paying for is the addictive camaraderie that comes from shared pain. >> you're tired, hungry, cold. just like everybody else, you work together and motivate and kind of focus on helping the guy next to you. >> reporter: there's never been any temptation, you know what, i'm getting in the car getting some sleep? >> no, never. it's fun. again, it's fun. we know why we came down here. if we don't want to do it then don't come down here. >> your most vivid memories are from hardship, suffering. the easy stuff you forget. most these guys have never been pushed this hard before. jumping out of a helicopter, a hike in cold water, scare you up

there. things like that. >> reporter: that's right, the coup de grace of this adventure is the reward, a stomach-flipping "apocalypse now" style ride along the treetops, followed by the pilot's encouragement to unbuckle the seat belt, step out onto the strut and jump into the northwest river. since i skipped hell night, i feel a little guilty getting such a quality adrenaline snag without earning it. so maybe i'll come back someday and next time i'll bring the marshmallows to roast during the camp photo. i'm bill weir for "nightline" in chesapeake, virginia. >> tough stuff. thanks to bill for that. and we'll be right back. ♪

♪ everyone has an inner mustang. unleash yours. the new 2013 mustang. is non-stop to seattle? just carry preparation h totables. discreet, little tubes packed with big relief. from the brand doctors recommend most by name. preparation h totables. the anywhere preparation h. preparation h totables. on my journey across america, i found new ways to tell people about saving money. this is bobby. say hello bobby. hello bobby. do you know you could save hundreds on car insurance over the phone, online or at your local geico office? tell us bobby,

what would you do with all those savings? hire a better ventriloquist. your lips are moving. geico®. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. i'm good. alright. [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, you celebrate a little win. nicorette mini helps relieve cravings in minutes. so you can quit one cigarette at a time. until you reach your goal. nicorette mini. quit one cigarette at a time.

if you've ever watched a zombie apocalypse movie and thought it was fun, then look no further than this abandoned shopping mall turned battleground for the undead. for those looking to hone your combat skills for the end of days here's abc's nick watt. >> what's your name? what do we know about the assailant? >> get down now. >> reporter: they call this zombie apocalypse. it's like a video game, but you're actually in it, and you're being hunted by zombies. >> they seem to be completely relaxed. they just attack, and they will consume everything that they come across. >> i'll be glad to get out of here. >> you guys got it. [ shouting ]

>> disdeath. it's death that's coming and it's slowly coming. no matter what you do, it's always going to get you in the end. >> reporter: and that's why zombies capture human imagination in the movies, books, and video games, and now for real. well, kind of. >> what we found out about the infection it's spread through touch. if you're touched, you become infected. >> my friend mark and i accepted our mission to find food in this abandoned, zombie-infested shopping mall. this is, by the way, really an abandoned shopping mall. >> there's one. just gone into that shop. oh, he got me! he got me. >> everyone loves a good scare. i can hear it. >> reporter: you joe your gun just shoots plastic bb's.

you know you're paying 200 bucks to play, but then you forget. >> i'm running out of ammo. let's go! you feel that you're really out there killing zombies? >> yes. i take this very seriously. >> it's the whole what would i do? how would i survive? >> i thought you were dead. >> reporter: that's one approach. and another. >> hiding. >> where's nick? >> he's hiding. [ laughter ] >> reporter: you learn about yourself. what did you learn? >> i'm a really fast runner. >> reporter: how many times did you get killed? >> twice. >> and by a girl. >> even though you're acting, it is scary. quite the ultimate survival thing. the zombies, by the way, are mostly overenthusiastic students from the local college.

>> i think you all looked like you were enjoying it a bit too much. >> well, there's nothing better than having a grown man on his knees through fear. >> yeah. >> reporter: he did. and i took it way too seriously. i couldn't help it. there was pride. and there was the fall. >> i shot you about 20 times. >> game over. game over. >> reporter: i'm nick watt for "nightline," dying a slow death in zombie apocalypse. >> that's hard to watch him get devoured there. thanks to him for that and thanks for watching abc news. we hope you check in to "good morning america" checking on the heat wave that could push temperatures into the triple digits in the northeast. we're also online. jimmy kimmel is coming up next and we'll see you here tomorrow.