Police Chiefs looking at tests to ban motorists at the roadside
https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/ca...o-ban-drug-and-drink-drivers-at-the-roadside/
https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/ca...o-ban-drug-and-drink-drivers-at-the-roadside/
Be able to ban them until their case is heard in a court.Although police, judge and jury isn't ideal.
Be able to ban them until their case is heard in a court.
It might avoid them injuring anyone in the meantime. And it'll give them time to realise what they stand to lose.
It'll be another offence if they're caught driving in the meantime, which would give an insight into whether they'd be likely to ignore a court imposed ban.
That's my view. Stopping them from further use until their case is heard.Ah, that makes more sense.
The big issue is that roadside intoximeters aren't considered accurate enough to be used evidentually - they're only a screening device.
The suspect has to be dragged to the nick to give a sample on a proper machine, so it's isn't going to happen at the 'roadside'.
Drug testing is even worse, as it can take months for the evidential test to be returned, and that could well come back as clear.
A nice idea, but without improvements in technology and the home office licencing of roadside devices for evidential level use it simply is not going to happenl
And if having been dragged back for the evidential test, they then fail that, they should be able to prevent them driving until their case is heard.The big issue is that roadside intoximeters aren't considered accurate enough to be used evidentually - they're only a screening device.
The suspect has to be dragged to the nick to give a sample on a proper machine, so it's isn't going to happen at the 'roadside'.
Drug testing is even worse, as it can take months for the evidential test to be returned, and that could well come back as clear.
A nice idea, but without improvements in technology and the home office licencing of roadside devices for evidential level use it simply is not going to happenl
In my Policing day (20 years ago now) if a person failed the roadside test, and then were found to be over the prescribed limit on the intoximeter machine at the Police office, then they were only released after signing an undertaking to present themselves at the local Sheriff court on a date within 7 days. At court, it was up to the accused person whether they pled guilty or not guilty.
Guilty and obviously an immediate ban. Not guilty would result in a trial date being set several months down the line. The accused could be given conditional bail in the meantime, and one of the conditions imposed was that they were not allowed to drive. So effectively a ban.
Where this all falls down though, is the lack of proactive Policing. Drivers who have been banned for whatever reason continue to drive, safe in the knowledge that the chances of being caught are very slim. Unless they do something stupid under the nose of the Police.
When was the last time anyone here was stopped randomly for a Police check? I have been driving for 40+ years (averaging about 15k miles per year - car, motorbike, and HGV's for 10 of those years) and it has NEVER happened. Two VOSA checks while driving HGV's, but they weren't interested in my licence.
In my Policing day (20 years ago now) if a person failed the roadside test, and then were found to be over the prescribed limit on the intoximeter machine at the Police office, then they were only released after signing an undertaking to present themselves at the local Sheriff court on a date within 7 days. At court, it was up to the accused person whether they pled guilty or not guilty.
Guilty and obviously an immediate ban. Not guilty would result in a trial date being set several months down the line. The accused could be given conditional bail in the meantime, and one of the conditions imposed was that they were not allowed to drive. So effectively a ban.
Where this all falls down though, is the lack of proactive Policing. Drivers who have been banned for whatever reason continue to drive, safe in the knowledge that the chances of being caught are very slim. Unless they do something stupid under the nose of the Police.
When was the last time anyone here was stopped randomly for a Police check? I have been driving for 40+ years (averaging about 15k miles per year - car, motorbike, and HGV's for 10 of those years) and it has NEVER happened. Two VOSA checks while driving HGV's, but they weren't interested in my licence.
The big issue is that roadside intoximeters aren't considered accurate enough to be used evidentually - they're only a screening device.
The suspect has to be dragged to the nick to give a sample on a proper machine, so it's isn't going to happen at the 'roadside'.
Drug testing is even worse, as it can take months for the evidential test to be returned, and that could well come back as clear.
A nice idea, but without improvements in technology and the home office licencing of roadside devices for evidential level use it simply is not going to happenl
In my Policing day (20 years ago now) if a person failed the roadside test, and then were found to be over the prescribed limit on the intoximeter machine at the Police office, then they were only released after signing an undertaking to present themselves at the local Sheriff court on a date within 7 days. At court, it was up to the accused person whether they pled guilty or not guilty.
Guilty and obviously an immediate ban. Not guilty would result in a trial date being set several months down the line. The accused could be given conditional bail in the meantime, and one of the conditions imposed was that they were not allowed to drive. So effectively a ban.
Where this all falls down though, is the lack of proactive Policing. Drivers who have been banned for whatever reason continue to drive, safe in the knowledge that the chances of being caught are very slim. Unless they do something stupid under the nose of the Police.
When was the last time anyone here was stopped randomly for a Police check? I have been driving for 40+ years (averaging about 15k miles per year - car, motorbike, and HGV's for 10 of those years) and it has NEVER happened. Two VOSA checks while driving HGV's, but they weren't interested in my licence.
I'd be interested to see if what happened to us is common: Drink driver ploughed into our garden wall, one of the neighbours was quick thinking and grabbed the car keys before he could drive off. He was arrested 20 mins later, but refused a breath test. He was so violent at the hospital that they couldn't get a blood test. So he got off because no evidence of drink driving could be obtained