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New technology to enable police to instantly identify motoring offenders at the roadside
20 July 2021
New technology developed by the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) and Home Office could save police officers up to 16 minutes per case when identifying a motoring offender at the roadside.
Police officers will be able to access the driver’s photograph stored on the DVLA database at the roadside bysearching the Police National Computer (PNC) to obtain the driving licence number. This means that they can quickly verify whether the information they are given by the driver is true. Currently, it can only be used in the case of a motoring offence.
The technology has already been implemented by 18 police forces in the UK:
- Surrey
- Sussex
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- The City of London Police
- Police Scotland
- Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
- South Yorkshire
- Humberside
- Dyfed-Powys
- Gloucestershire
- West Yorkshire
- Devon and Cornwall
- Merseyside
- Dorset
- Derbyshire
The government website says that by June 2021:
- The technology has saved over 14,000 hours for Road Police Unit Officers and Local Policing Officers – meaning more time for patrolling, supporting investigations and community work.
- Roadside checks are now up to 66% faster meaning motorists can get back on the road quicker.
- 86,513 driver licence images have been accessed by police support confirming the identity of motorists at the roadside.
Eventually, 46 police forces in the UK will have access to this technology.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said, “This government is constantly striving to be at the forefront of technological advances and this particular development will not only free up valuable police time but also make sure innocent drivers can get back on their journeys quicker.”
We at Marshall Leasing take road safety very seriously and are dedicated to keeping our customers safe whilst on the road. We trust that you find this information of interest.
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