Operational Policing

Road Traffic

Road policing seeks to ensure that all people can use the roads, go about their daily life and get round their towns safely and without being harmed or intimidated by unlawful and anti-social behaviour on the road.

Road policing

Road policing focuses on the following actions:

• denying criminals use of the roads by enforcing the law
• reducing road casualties
• tackling the threat of terrorism
• reducing anti-social use of the roads
• enhancing public confidence and reassurance by patrolling the roads

The roads policing strategy (new window) is part of the national policing plan.

Effective road policing relies on the use of sophisticated traffic law enforcement devices. The Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 requires that these devices are approved by the Secretary of State, so that evidence from them can be used in court proceedings.

Traffic law enforcement devices - type approvals

Home Office type approval is only granted to devices that have a high degree of accuracy and reliability to satisfy rigorous testing by the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) and the police in the field. Testing ensures that all devices are robust, reliable and can produce accurate readings or images under a variety of extreme conditions.

Speed detection devices

• type approval orders for ALL speed detection devices - March 2007

Immobilisation devices

• immobilisation device approval (no 2 ) 2005 - LCC 'yellow triangle' wheel clamp
• immobilisation device approval 2005 - TMP 'triangle' wheel clamp

Breath screening devices

This list will soon be updated to include device names, for easier identification.

• guide to type approval for electronic breath screening devices (ESDs)
• transport safety - the preliminary breath test device approval 2005
• road traffic - the breath test device approval (no 3) 2004
• transport safety - the breath analysis devices approval (no 2) 2004
• transport safety - the breath analysis devices revocation of approval (no 2) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 8) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 9) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 10) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 11) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 12) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 13) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 14) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 15) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 16) 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 17) 2004
• the breath analysis devices approval 2004
• the breath analysis devices revocation of approval 2004
• the preliminary breath test device revocation of approval
  2004
• breath analysis devices approval
• breath analysis devices revocation of approval
• Department of Transport - code of practice for preliminary impairment tests
• preliminary impairment test
• the breath test devices revocation of approval (no 2) 2004
• the breath test device approval 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval 2004
• the preliminary breath test device approval (no 6) 2004

Useful documents

• road traffic law and enforcement: a driving force for casualty reduction - the government's response to the recommendations in the report by the parliamentary advisory council for transport safety
• policing aspects of The Serious Organised Crime & Police Act 2005: guidance to police
• review of road traffic penalties
• revised guidance on the operation of the fixed penalty system for offences in respect of a vehicle

The Police National Drink/Drugs Drive Proforma

See Also

• National policing plan