Road Traffic Act 1988

7 Provision of specimens for analysis. U.K.

(1) In the course of an investigation into whether a person has committed an offence under [F1 section 3A, 4] or 5 of this Act a constable may, subject to the following provisions of this section and section 9 of this Act, require him—

(a) to provide two specimens of breath for analysis by means of a device of a type approved by the Secretary of State, or

(b) to provide a specimen of blood or urine for a laboratory test.

[F2 (2) A requirement under this section to provide specimens of breath can only be made—

(a) at a police station,

(b) at a hospital, or

(c) at or near a place where a relevant breath test has been administered to the person concerned or would have been so administered but for his failure to co-operate with it.

(2A) For the purposes of this section “a relevant breath test” is a procedure involving the provision by the person concerned of a specimen of breath to be used for the purpose of obtaining an indication whether the proportion of alcohol in his breath or blood is likely to exceed the prescribed limit.

(2B) A requirement under this section to provide specimens of breath may not be made at or near a place mentioned in subsection (2)(c) above unless the constable making it—

(a) is in uniform, or

(b) has imposed a requirement on the person concerned to co-operate with a relevant breath test in circumstances in which section 6(5) of this Act applies.

(2C) Where a constable has imposed a requirement on the person concerned to co-operate with a relevant breath test at any place, he is entitled to remain at or near that place in order to impose on him there a requirement under this section.

(2D) If a requirement under subsection (1)(a) above has been made at a place other than at a police station, such a requirement may subsequently be made at a police station if (but only if)—

(a) a device or a reliable device of the type mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above was not available at that place or it was for any other reason not practicable to use such a device there, or

(b) the constable who made the previous requirement has reasonable cause to believe that the device used there has not produced a reliable indication of the proportion of alcohol in the breath of the person concerned.]

(3) A requirement under this section to provide a specimen of blood or urine can only be made at a police station or at a hospital; and it cannot be made at a police station unless—

(a) the constable making the requirement has reasonable cause to believe that for medical reasons a specimen of breath cannot be provided or should not be required, or

(b) [F3 specimens of breath have not been provided elsewhere and]at the time the requirement is made a device or a reliable device of the type mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above is not available at the police station or it is then for any other reason not practicable to use such a device there, or

[F4 (bb) a device of the type mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above has been used [F5 (at the police station or elsewhere)] but the constable who required the specimens of breath has reasonable cause to believe that the device has not produced a reliable indication of the proportion of alcohol in the breath of the person concerned, or]

[F6 (bc) as a result of the administration of a preliminary drug test, the constable making the requirement has reasonable cause to believe that the person required to provide a specimen of blood or urine has a drug in his body, or]

(c) the suspected offence is one under [F7 section 3A or 4] of this Act and the constable making the requirement has been advised by a medical practitioner that the condition of the person required to provide the specimen might be due to some drug;

but may then be made notwithstanding that the person required to provide the specimen has already provided or been required to provide two specimens of breath.

(4) If the provision of a specimen other than a specimen of breath may be required in pursuance of this section the question whether it is to be a specimen of blood or a specimen of urine [F8 and, in the case of a specimen of blood, the question who is to be asked to take it shall be decided (subject to subsection (4A)) by the constable making the requirement].

[F9 (4A) Where a constable decides for the purposes of subsection (4) to require the provision of a specimen of blood, there shall be no requirement to provide such a specimen if—

(a) the medical practitioner who is asked to take the specimen is of the opinion that, for medical reasons, it cannot or should not be taken; or

(b) the registered health care professional who is asked to take it is of that opinion and there is no contrary opinion from a medical practitioner;

and, where by virtue of this subsection there can be no requirement to provide a specimen of blood, the constable may require a specimen of urine instead.]

(5) A specimen of urine shall be provided within one hour of the requirement for its provision being made and after the provision of a previous specimen of urine.

(6) A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to provide a specimen when required to do so in pursuance of this section is guilty of an offence.

(7) A constable must, on requiring any person to provide a specimen in pursuance of this section, warn him that a failure to provide it may render him liable to prosecution.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in S. 7(1) substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 42(a); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F2 S. 7(2)-(2D) substituted (1.7.2005) for s. 7(2) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 154(5), 178; S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1) (subject to art. 3(4)(5))

F3 Words in s. 7(3)(b) inserted (1.7.2005) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 154(6)(a), 178; S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1) (subject to art. 3(4)(5))

F4 S. 7(3)(bb) inserted (4.7.1996 but with effect (1.4.1997) as mentioned in s. 63(3)(4)) by 1996 c. 25, s. 63(1) (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(b)

F5 Words in s. 7(3)(bb) substituted (1.7.2005) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 154(6)(b), 178; S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1) (subject to art. 3(4)(5))

F6 S. 7(3)(bc) inserted (30.3.2004) by Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), ss. 107, 120, Sch. 7 para. 2; S.I. 2004/827, art. 3

F7 Words in s. 7(3)(c) substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 42(b); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F8 Words in s. 7(4) substituted (1.4.2003) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), ss. 55(1), 108(2); S.I. 2003/808, art. 2(e)

F9 S. 7(4A) inserted (1.4.2003) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), ss. 55(2), 108(2); S.I. 2003/808, art. 2(e)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 7 applied (with modifications) (29.3.2004 for certain purposes and 30.3.2004 otherwise) by Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), ss. 83(1)(3), 96(1)(3), 120 (with ss. 90, 100); S.I. 2004/827, arts. 2, 3