Is a breath test mandatory at every injury road traffic collision?

No — a constable has the power to require a preliminary breath test from a person reasonably believed to have been driving, attempting to drive, or in charge of a vehicle at the time of the accident (s.6, especially s.6(5), RTA 1988). It is a power to require, not an automatic test of everyone involved; refusing without reasonable excuse is a separate offence under s.6(6).

What is an HO/RT1 and how long does a driver have to produce documents?

HO/RT1 is the administrative name for the producer form issued when a driver cannot show their driving licence, insurance certificate, or MOT/test certificate at the scene. The underlying statutory power is s.164 RTA 1988 (driving licence) and s.165 RTA 1988 (insurance and test certificate), each giving the driver 7 days to produce the documents at a police station of their choosing.

Road Traffic Collision Response

Scene safety, casualty and evidence priorities, the s.170 stop-and-report duty, preliminary breath testing, fatal collision protocols, evidence preservation, and the HO/RT1 producer form — an officer quick-reference for RTC response.

Unofficial independent resource — always verify with official sources (College of Policing, your force, PFEW).

Reviewed by the BlueLineHub Editorial Team

Last reviewed: 26 August 2026 · Next review due: 26 February 2027

Reviewed by BlueLineHub Editorial

What are an officer's priorities and legal powers when responding to a road traffic collision?

Make the scene safe first — hazard lights, warning triangles or cones, hi-vis, and checks for fuel leaks, fire risk and overhead cables before approaching vehicles. Priorities then run LIFE (casualties first), SCENE (preserve it and prevent further collisions), and EVIDENCE (skid marks, debris, vehicle positions, CCTV, dashcam).

A driver involved in an accident must stop and exchange name, address and vehicle details with anyone who has reasonable grounds to require them (s.170(2) RTA 1988); if those details were not exchanged at the scene, the driver must report the accident within 24 hours (s.170(3) and s.170(6)); failing to stop or failing to report is an offence (s.170(4)).

At an accident, a constable may require a person reasonably believed to have been driving, attempting to drive, or in charge of a vehicle at the time to co-operate with a preliminary breath test (s.6, especially s.6(5), RTA 1988); refusing without reasonable excuse is itself an offence (s.6(6)).

Fatal collisions are treated as crime scenes, require specialist Roads Policing or collision investigator attendance, a Family Liaison Officer, and — where a police vehicle was involved — a mandatory IOPC referral as a death-or-serious-injury matter under Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002.

All operational references

A reference to the key steps in responding to a road traffic collision: making the scene safe, the LIFE / SCENE / EVIDENCE priority order, the driver's duty to stop and report under s.170 RTA 1988, preliminary breath testing powers at an injury collision, fatal collision protocols including IOPC referral, evidence preservation, and the HO/RT1 producer form. It is educational reference, not tactical guidance — follow your force policy, training and current law.

Scene Safety

Park your vehicle with hazard lights on to protect the scene from approaching traffic — deploy warning triangles or cones
Wear hi-vis clothing at all times — you must be visible to other road users
Check for fuel leaks, fire risk, and overhead cables before approaching vehicles
Approach the scene from uphill and upwind where possible to avoid fumes and fluid run-off

Priorities

LIFE

Casualties first. Check all vehicles and the surrounding area for injured persons.

SCENE

Preserve the scene for investigation. Prevent further collisions.

EVIDENCE

Skid marks, debris, vehicle positions, CCTV, dashcam footage.

Driver Procedure — Duty to Stop and Report (s.170 RTA 1988)

Stop and exchange details — s.170(2)

A driver involved in an accident must stop and, if requested by any person with reasonable grounds to require it, give their own name and address, the vehicle owner's name and address, and the vehicle's identification marks.

Report within 24 hours if not exchanged at the scene — s.170(3) and s.170(6)

If those details were not given at the scene, the driver must report the collision — as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours — at a police station or to a constable.

Failure to stop or report is an offence — s.170(4)

Failing to comply with the duty to stop and exchange details (s.170(2)), or the duty to report (s.170(3)), is itself an offence.

Injury accident — added duty to produce insurance — s.170(5) / (7)

Where the accident caused injury to another person, the driver has an added duty to produce a certificate of insurance at the scene, or as part of the same reporting requirement if it was not available there.

Injury Collisions

Call an ambulance immediately

For any injured party. Note injuries observed and any first aid treatment given.

Preliminary breath test power — s.6, esp. s.6(5), RTA 1988

Where an accident has occurred, a constable may require any person they reasonably believe was driving, attempting to drive, or in charge of a vehicle at the time to co-operate with a preliminary breath test. Refusing without reasonable excuse is itself an offence under s.6(6).

Preserve the scene for a collision investigator

If injuries are serious, cordon and log access for a collision investigator.

Fatal Collisions

Specialist attendance

Specialist Roads Policing officers or a trained collision investigator must attend. Do not allow vehicles to be moved.

Treat as a crime scene

Treat the scene as a crime scene until the circumstances are fully established.

IOPC referral if a police vehicle was involved

A fatal collision involving a police vehicle is a mandatory referral to the IOPC as a death-or-serious-injury (DSI) matter under Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002.

Family Liaison Officer

Deploy a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) for the deceased's next of kin.

Coroner and post-mortem

Post-mortem and Coroner involvement will follow — preserve all evidence for the Coroner's investigation.

Death-by-Driving Offences (RTA 1988)

The offences most often engaged when a collision proves fatal.

Section	Offence	Maximum penalty note
s.1	Causing death by dangerous driving	Raised to life imprisonment by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, from 28 June 2022.
s.2B	Causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving	Not affected by the 2022 maximum-life change.
s.3ZB	Causing death by driving: unlicensed or uninsured drivers	Not affected by the 2022 maximum-life change.
s.3A	Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs	Raised to life imprisonment by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, from 28 June 2022.

Evidence

Photograph vehicle positions before moving them — multiple angles, including wide shots of the whole scene
Measure and record skid marks — length, direction, and which vehicle they belong to
Obtain dashcam and CCTV footage immediately — some systems overwrite within hours
Record weather conditions, road surface, lighting, and visibility at the time
Take witness statements at the scene if possible — recollection fades quickly

HO/RT1 (Producer)

When to issue

If a driver cannot produce their driving licence, certificate of insurance, or MOT/test certificate at the scene, issue an HO/RT1 producer form.

7-day production window — s.164 / s.165 RTA 1988

HO/RT1 is the administrative name of the producer form, not itself a statutory term. The underlying power is s.164 RTA 1988 (driving licence, 7-day production defence) and s.165 RTA 1988 (insurance and test certificate, 7-day production at a police station of the driver's choosing under s.165(4)).

Record the requirement

Record the details of the HO/RT1 on your copy and ensure the driver understands the requirement.

Frequently asked

What must a driver do after a road traffic collision?: Stop and, if requested by anyone with reasonable grounds to require it, give their name and address, the vehicle owner's details, and the vehicle's registration (s.170(2) RTA 1988). If those details were not exchanged at the scene, the driver must report the collision within 24 hours at a police station or to a constable (s.170(3) and s.170(6)). Failing to stop or failing to report is an offence (s.170(4)).
Is a breath test mandatory at every injury road traffic collision?: No — a constable has the power to require a preliminary breath test from a person reasonably believed to have been driving, attempting to drive, or in charge of a vehicle at the time of the accident (s.6, especially s.6(5), RTA 1988). It is a power to require, not an automatic test of everyone involved; refusing without reasonable excuse is a separate offence under s.6(6).
What is an HO/RT1 and how long does a driver have to produce documents?: HO/RT1 is the administrative name for the producer form issued when a driver cannot show their driving licence, insurance certificate, or MOT/test certificate at the scene. The underlying statutory power is s.164 RTA 1988 (driving licence) and s.165 RTA 1988 (insurance and test certificate), each giving the driver 7 days to produce the documents at a police station of their choosing.