Page 103 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

The Accident Enquiry Squad

Within a week or so, I got the news that my application had been accepted
and I was to start on Monday 7 March 1983 for a six-month attachment. I
th
was told that I could work mainly day shifts of 9 – 5 but I could work an
evening shift if it was necessary to make appointments to see witnesses. Six
months without working nights, which pleased my wife!

The AES worked like this. Officers on shifts would attend the scene of an RTA
with the primary objective of preserving life in the event of a serious impact.
Hen they would complete a white RTA booklet, obtaining as many details of
the drivers at the scene, including driving licences, insurance and MOT’s. If
any driver did not have the documents with them, a HO/RT1 form would be
issued, requiring production of the documents at a police station of their
choosing. Only if time permitted, would officers at the scene take a full
written statement. More typically, an abbreviated set of questions asked,
cautions given, and replies made would be noted in the accident booklet.

This process was adopted at RTA scenes to free up resources more quickly so
officers could be available for any serious incident that might occur and take
precedence. Attending officers would submit the RTA booklet though their
Sergeants on shift. Once the Sergeant determined no further action was
required by the officer, the RTA booklet was submitted through the internal
despatch system and would ultimately be allocated to an AES Officer for
completion of any outstanding enquiries, culminating in a recommendation
as to whether a prosecution of a driver or driver(s) was considered
appropriate.

A commercially pragmatic overview was taken with Road Traffic Accident
prosecutions. The majority of RTA’s involved minor damage to meal only
where insurance companies would pick up the tab. Experience showed that
most occurred as a result of a momentary loss of concentration that every
driver will be familiar with. Let’s face it, it happens.
The view was that provided there are no other offences disclosed that
merited prosecution, the likely outcome would be drivers advised – no further
action. Offences that would change the course of such a decision would
include reckless or dangerous driving, where it is evidentially clear that a
driver has driven intentionally with total disregard for the safety of other road
users, no insurance (whereby they shouldn’t have been on the road), or
offences indicating the condition of the vehicle rendered it dangerous or Page103
unroadworthy. A vehicle driven on a road when its mechanical condition
(e.g. ineffective bakes/faulty steering/insecure wheels) was such that it