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Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988

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Changes to legislation:

Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Cross Heading: Giving notices to suspected offenders is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 21 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

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Giving notices to suspected offendersE+W+S

54 Notices on-the-spot [F1etc.].E+W+S

(1)This section applies where F2... on any occasion a constable in uniform [F3, or a vehicle examiner who produces his authority,] has reason to believe that a person he finds

[F4(a)is committing or has on that occasion committed a fixed penalty offence; or

(b)has, within the period of 28 days before the day of that occasion, committed a Community drivers’ hours offence.]

(2)Subject to [F5the following provisions of this section], the constable [F6or vehicle examiner] may give him a fixed penalty notice in respect of the offence.

[F7(3)Where the offence appears to the constable or vehicle examiner to involve obligatory endorsement, the constable or vehicle examiner may only give him a fixed penalty notice under subsection (2) above in respect of the offence if—

(a)the constable or vehicle examiner is satisfied, on accessing information held on his driving record, that he would not be liable to be disqualified under section 35 of this Act if he were convicted of that offenceF8...

F9(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F10(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F11(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12(5A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13(5B). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

F14(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F15(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F16(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F17(8A)In a case where this section applies by virtue of subsection (1)(b), a constable or vehicle examiner may not give a person a fixed penalty notice for the Community drivers’ hours offence if the constable or vehicle examiner has reason to believe that—

(a)a fixed penalty notice has already been given under this section to the person in relation to the offence;

(b)a conditional offer has already been issued to the person under section 75 of this Act in relation to the offence;

(c)proceedings have already been initiated against the person for the offence; or

(d)any other penalty has already been imposed on, or other proceedings have already been initiated against, the person in respect of the relevant breach in Northern Ireland [F18, an EU member State], [F19or in another contracting country].

(8B)In subsection (8A)(d) “relevant breach” means the breach of the applicable Community rules which constitutes the Community drivers’ hours offence concerned.]

F20(9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F21(10)In determining for the purposes of [F22this section] whether a person convicted of an offence would be liable to disqualification under section 35, it shall be assumed, in the case of an offence in relation to which a range of numbers is shown in the last column of Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act, that the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence would be the lowest in the range.]

Textual Amendments

F1Word in s. 54 heading substituted (31.3.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 1 para. 3(9); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 3(b)

F7S. 54(3)-(5B) substituted for s. 54(3)-(5E) (8.6.2015) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), ss. 10(4), 61(1)(10) (with s. 61(3)); S.I. 2015/560, art. 3(a) (with arts. 4-9)

F16S. 54(8) repealed (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c.40, SIF 107:1), s. 83, Sch. 8; S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch., Appendix

F18Words in s. 54(8A)(d) added (31.12.2020 immediately after the coming into force of S.I. 2019/453, Pts. 3, 4) by The Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1658), regs. 1(3), 5(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 54 extended (prosp.) by 2002 c. 30, ss. 41, 108(2)-(5), Sch. 5 para. 1(2)(a)

Commencement Information

I1S. 54 not in force for S. at Royal Assent, see s. 99(3)(4); s. 54 in force for S. for all purposes except for the functions conferred by that section on vehicle examiners at 30.11.2022 by S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 5

55 Effect of fixed penalty notice given under section 54.E+W+S

(1)This section applies where a fixed penalty notice relating to an offence has been given to any person under section 54 of this Act, and references in this section to the recipient are to the person to whom the notice was given.

(2)No proceedings shall be brought against the recipient for the offence to which the fixed penalty notice relates unless before the end of the suspended enforcement period he has given notice requesting a hearing in respect of that offence in the manner specified in the fixed penalty notice.

(3)Where—

(a)the recipient has not given notice requesting a hearing in respect of the offence to which the fixed penalty notice relates in the manner so specified, and

(b)the fixed penalty has not been paid in accordance with this Part of this Act before the end of the suspended enforcement period,

a sum equal to the fixed penalty plus one–half of the amount of that penalty may be registered under section 71 of this Act for enforcement against the recipient as a fine.

F2356 Licence receipts.E+W+S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F2557 Endorsement of [F24counterparts ] without hearings.E+W+S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F24Word in s. 57 heading substituted (1.4.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 2 para. 15(3); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b)

[F2657AEndorsement of driving records without hearingsE+W+S

(1)Subject to subsection (2) below, where a person F27... has been given a fixed penalty notice under section 54 of this Act in respect of an offence involving obligatory endorsement, his driving record may be endorsed in accordance with this section without any order of a court.

(2)A person's driving record may not be endorsed under this section if at the end of the suspended enforcement period—

(a)he has given notice, in the manner specified in the fixed penalty notice, requesting a hearing in respect of the offence to which the fixed penalty notice relates, and

(b)the fixed penalty has not been paid in accordance with this Part of this Act.

(3)If payment of the fixed penalty is made [F28in accordance with this Part] before the end of the suspended enforcement period and the person to whom the payment is made is the fixed penalty clerk, the fixed penalty clerk must send to the Secretary of State notice of the relevant particulars which are to be endorsed on the person's driving record F29....

(4)Where any sum determined by reference to the fixed penalty is registered under section 71 of this Act for enforcement against the person as a fine in a case where the fixed penalty is required to be paid to the fixed penalty clerk, the fixed penalty clerk must send to the Secretary of State notice of the relevant particulars which are to be endorsed on the person's driving record F30...—

(a)if he is himself the person who registers the sum, on the registration of that sum, and

(b)in any other case, on being notified of the registration by the person who registers that sum.

(5)The Secretary of State must endorse the relevant particulars on the person's driving record if—

(a)he receives notice of them under subsection (3) or (4) above,

(b)the fixed penalty is paid to him [F31in accordance with this Part] before the end of the suspended enforcement period, or

(c)in a case where the fixed penalty is required to be paid to the Secretary of State, any sum determined by reference to the fixed penalty is registered under section 71 of this Act for enforcement against the person as a fine.

(6)References in this section to the relevant particulars are to—

(a)particulars of the offence, including the date when it was committed, and

(b)the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence.]

Textual Amendments

F27Words in s. 57A(1) repealed (8.6.2015) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), ss. 10(9), 61(1)(10), Sch. 7(4); S.I. 2015/560, art. 3 (with arts. 4-9)

F3358 Effect of endorsement [F32of counterpart] without hearing.E+W+S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F32Words in s. 58 heading inserted (1.4.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 2 para. 16; S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b)

[F3458AEffect of endorsement of driving record without hearingE+W+S

(1)Where a person's driving record is endorsed under section 57A of this Act he shall be treated for the purposes of sections 13(4), 28, 29 and 45A of this Act and of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 as if—

(a)he had been convicted of the offence,

(b)the endorsement had been made in pursuance of an order made on his conviction by a court under section 44 of this Act, and

(c)the particulars of the offence endorsed by virtue of section 57A(6)(a) of this Act were particulars of his conviction of that offence.

(2)In relation to any endorsement of a person's driving record under section 57A of this Act, the references in section 13(4) of this Act to any order made on a person's conviction are to be read as references to the endorsement itself.]

Textual Amendments

Prospective

F3559 Notification of court and date of trial in England and Wales.E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F3660. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

Textual Amendments

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3S. 60 expressed to be amended (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 40, s. 5, Sch. 4 para. 71(8)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)

F3861 Fixed penalty notice mistakenly given [F37to licence holder]: exclusion of fixed penalty procedures.E+W+S

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F37Words in s. 61 heading inserted (1.4.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 2 para. 18; S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b)

[F3961AFixed penalty notice mistakenly given F40...: exclusion of fixed penalty proceduresE+W+S

(1)This section applies where, on accessing information held on the driving record of a person to whom a fixed penalty notice was given under section 54 of this Act, F41... it appears to the fixed penalty clerk or the Secretary of State that the person would be liable to be disqualified under section 35 of this Act if he were convicted of the offence in respect of which the fixed penalty notice was given.

(2)The person's driving record must not be endorsed under section 57A of this Act.

(3)In a case where the fixed penalty is required to be paid to the fixed penalty clerk he must not send notice to the Secretary of State under section 57A of this Act but instead must notify the chief officer of police that the person to whom the fixed penalty notice was given would be liable to be disqualified under section 35 of this Act if he were convicted of the offence in respect of which the fixed penalty notice was given F42....

(4)Nothing in this Part of this Act prevents proceedings being brought in respect of the offence in respect of which the fixed penalty notice was given where those proceedings are commenced before the end of the period of six months beginning with the date on which that notice was given.

(5)Where proceedings in respect of that offence are commenced before the end of that period, the case is from then on to be treated in all respects as if no fixed penalty notice had been given in respect of the offence.

(6)Accordingly, where proceedings in respect of that offence are so commenced, any action taken in pursuance of this Part of this Act by reference to that fixed penalty notice shall be void (including, but without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provision—

(a)the registration under section 71 of this Act of any sum, determined by reference to the fixed penalty for that offence, for enforcement against the person to whom the fixed penalty notice was given, and

(b)any proceedings for enforcing payment of any such sum within the meaning of sections 73 and 74 of this Act (defined in section 74(5))).

(7)In determining for the purposes of subsection (1) above whether a person convicted of an offence would be liable to disqualification under section 35, it shall be assumed, in the case of an offence in relation to which a range of numbers is shown in the last column of Part 1 of Schedule 2 to this Act, that the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence would be the lowest in the range.]

Textual Amendments

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