This briefing covers the use of police powers, under the Road Traffic Act 1988, to conduct roadside breath tests to determine whether motorists are driving with alcohol in their body, beyond the prescribed limit.
This briefing covers the use of police powers, under the Road Traffic Act 1988, to conduct roadside breath tests to determine whether motorists are driving with alcohol in their body, beyond the prescribed limit.
It examines the regional and seasonal use of such powers, as well as the number of motorists who either fail or refuse breath tests. The data presented in this chapter are drawn from returns from police forces in England and Wales and relate only to roadside breath tests (hereafter referred to as ‘breath tests’).
Key facts
• Police carried out 733,088 breath tests in 2010 compared to 814,207 in 2009. This 10% decrease followed increases in the previous two years.
• The number of positive or refused tests in 2010 also decreased by 10%, from 93,232 in 2009 to 83,932 in 2010.
• 11% of all breath tests in 2010 were refused or gave a positive result, the same proportion as in the previous 12 months.
