Section 6 — Road Traffic Act 1988: Power to administer preliminary tests

Power to administer preliminary tests 6 1 If any of subsections (2) to (5) applies a constable may require a person to co-operate with any one or more preliminary tests administered to the person by that constable or another constable.

2 This subsection applies if a constable reasonably suspects that the person—

a is driving, is attempting to drive or is in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, and b has alcohol or a drug in his body or is under the influence of a drug.

3 This subsection applies if a constable reasonably suspects that the person—

a has been driving, attempting to drive or in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place while having alcohol or a drug in his body or while unfit to drive because of a drug, and b still has alcohol or a drug in his body or is still under the influence of a drug.

4 This subsection applies if a constable reasonably suspects that the person—

a is or has been driving, attempting to drive or in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, and b has committed a traffic offence while the vehicle was in motion.

5 This subsection applies if—

a an accident occurs owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, and b a constable reasonably believes that the person was driving, attempting to drive or in charge of the vehicle at the time of the accident.

6 A person commits an offence if without reasonable excuse he fails to co-operate with a preliminary test in pursuance of a requirement imposed under this section.

7 A constable may administer a preliminary test by virtue of any of subsections (2) to (4) only if he is in uniform.

8 In this section—

a a reference to a preliminary test is to any of the tests described in sections 6A to 6C, and b “ traffic offence ” means an offence under—

i a provision of Part II of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14),

ii a provision of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27), iii a provision of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53) other than a provision of Part III, or iv a provision of this Act other than a provision of Part V.