Police Driving (Hansard, 24 July 2002)

The Government welcome the efforts that the police are making to try to reduce the number of police vehicle collisions.

The police need to strike a balance between responding promptly to emergencies and apprehending offenders, and ensuring the safety of the public. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has ensured that measures are in place or being implemented to reduce the need for high speed pursuits and the risks when such pursuits are necessary.

There is a nationally agreed ACPO Pursuit Code of Practice and work is going forward on a national basis 100WA to implement recommendations from the 1998 Lind report on police pursuit driver training. In December 2000 ACPO launched its new police driver training course, introducing a universal standard for driving in England and Wales. The police also seek to ensure that there are effective management controls and that robust risk assessments are in place to ensure that safety is maintained at all times.

Forces are progressing the use of automatic data recorders (ADR) and vehicle accident data recorders (VADR). The VADR is triggered if an impact occurs and can automatically download data referring to a number of issues, including speed, gear changes, braking and the use of blue lights. The ADR gives management information on the vehicle's performance, and in effect both devices operate on a similar basis to the "black boxes" on aircraft. Twelve forces in Britain have already commenced fitting these devices, and a further five forces are considering implementation.

ACPO recognise that there is still work to be done, particularly in terms of researching the reasons underlying the apparent upward trend in police vehicle collisions. The Police Complaints Authority has recently produced a report on this, making a range of helpful recommendations. Discussions have taken place with the Police Complaints Authority, and initial work has been agreed.