At around 2:30pm today, officers from Durham Constabulary commenced a vehicle pursuit in the Spennymoor area involving a Nissan Primera.
Following a brief pursuit, the incident ended in a collision in Central Drive, Middlestone Moor.
A Durham Police spokesman said: “The driver of the vehicle, who is not being named at this stage, suffered fatal injuries.
“We have referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).”