Vehicle stops
A police officer might stop you for lots of different reasons. These might include your manner of driving, there may be a problem with your vehicle, or as part of a policing operation. If a police officer indicates you should stop your vehicle, don't panic and pull over safely.
You must stop your vehicle when required to do so by a constable in uniform.
There might be a short pause before an officer approaches your vehicle. Please just wait inside your vehicle so that you remain safe.
"Good afternoon. Would you mind just turn your engine off for me, please and stepping out of the vehicle? Thank you."
Police officers may ask you to stand with them in a place of safety. If you are unable to leave your vehicle, please let the officers know.
"Afternoon, my name is PC Allan Whenmouth. The reason why I've stopped you today is due to the manner of driving."
"Oh right."
"You seem to be weaving all over the road. So I require you to provide a specimen of breath by this Home Office proved device. Have you had anything to eat or drink in the last 20 minutes?"
"No."
"Are you on any medication?"
"Nope."
"Do you vape or do you smoke at all?"
"No don’t vape, never smoked."
"Can I ask you to make a nice, tight seal around this side of the tube and continue to blow until I tell you to stop. Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going. Stop!
"That's zero. Thank you ever so much for providing me with that specimen. Please take that. Thank you."
"I'm just gonna grab your details now before we move on if that's okay."
Police Officers will ask for your personal details in order to check yourself and the vehicle to ensure all legal requirements are met. This will include asking your self defined ethnicity in order to ensure our policing practices and powers are fair to all.
"Thank you all so much for your time. Take it easy. Yeah. Bye bye now."
For more information, please go to our website.
Vehicle stop checks are vital in keeping our roads safe. They ensure people are driving with the correct authorities, help tackle the “Fatal Four” and are important powers in tackling crime and locating people.
Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 gives police officers the power to stop all vehicles on public roads.
- Officers can require any vehicle on a road to stop without needing specific grounds.
- Officers cannot search the vehicle or anyone in it under this power, but they may be able to do so under one of the stop and search powers – please see the stop and search page for further information
- Officers must be in uniform to stop a vehicle under the road traffic act.
Why do the police stop vehicles?
The purpose of vehicle stops allow officers to do many different checks and enquiries including:
- Driving document checks
- Vehicle checks
- Drink or drug driving checks
- Locate missing or wanted people
- Locate a vehicle wanted for offences utilising ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) on a national scale
- Anti-social behaviour
- Planned operations used by policing to deal with ‘Fatal Four’ offences – drink, drugs, seatbelts and speeding.
What you must do if stopped by the police
Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 states that:
a person driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road must stop if required to do so by a constable. Not to do so is an offence.
This means you must stop under this act where required to do so by the police. If you do not stop, you may be committing criminal offences.
What can a police officer ask me for?
An officer does not need to have any particular reason to stop a vehicle but they should explain why it has been stopped.
This is in line with a procedural justice approach and is likely to improve the quality of the encounter and how it is perceived by the person stopped.
An officer can ask the driver for:
- Their name and address.
- The name and address of the owner of the vehicle being driven.
- An insurance certificate, a test certificate and/or a goods vehicle test certificate.
If asked, the driver must produce these documents. It is a criminal offence to fail to do so when asked either roadside by an officer or following the issue of a HORT1 'producer' (which gives a driver seven days from the stop to produce the documents at a police station)
An officer can also require a driver to undertake a roadside breath test or drug wipe test to check if the driver is driving under the influence or over the legal limit of alcohol. Refusing to take a breathalyser test when asked to do so by police after being stopped is an offence and can result in a fine and penalty points.
Officers may ask questions in relation to the use of the vehicle, the journey, or occupants of the vehicle. Where they have reasonable grounds to conduct a lawful search of either the vehicle or persons within it, this can take place. However, this is done using additional legislation and not under the Road Traffic Act.
What are my rights?
Under Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, you are entitled to request a receipt of the details of the officer who stopped you. The police should make every attempt to provide one immediately unless there is an urgent matter to attend to, in which case they must tell you where you can collect it later.
Northamptonshire Police officers will complete a vehicle stop form where they will ask details of the driver and the vehicle. The purpose of this form is to document the police use of a lawful power, which is a requirement with any use of power police officers use. Within this they will ask questions around the drivers protected characteristics. The purpose of these questions is to ensure our policing practices and policies are fair to all. You do not need to give this information over and can chose “not stated” if you do not wish to do so.
Police officers must respect your rights under the Equality Act 2010 during a vehicle stop. In the exercise of their functions, the officer must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation. This means that you cannot be stopped purely on the basis of your race, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, religion, or faith.
Other vehicles which are subject to legal requirements
Bicycles
- Police can stop you when cycling at any time: they do not have to have any particular reason to stop you.
- Bikes must have white front and red rear lights fitted. Wearing a helmet and high-visibility clothing is recommended but is not a legal requirement.
- There are specific offences related to the use of bicycles which people should be aware of when using them.
E-scooters
The use of privately-owned e-scooters is currently illegal on all public roads in the UK. Within the county there are scooters you can rent lawfully through recognised companies. You must have a full or provisional UK licence. You may be able to use a full driving licence from another country - you can check this on the government website.
Ensure you check the rules and laws prior to using the rental scooters.