If you are driving in the UK and a police officer signals you to pull over, the law is on their side. Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 allows a constable in uniform to stop any vehicle. You do not need to have been doing anything wrong, and you do not have to be told the reason at the moment of the stop. This piece walks through what tends to happen next.
Pulling over safely
Indicate left, slow down and come to a stop somewhere safe; a lay-by, the inside of a dual carriageway hard shoulder, or a side road. Switch the engine off and put your hazards on if traffic is heavy. If it is dark, leave your side-lights on so the officer can see the car. Stay inside the vehicle unless asked to get out.
Documents you may be asked to produce
Officers can ask to see your driving licence, your insurance certificate and your MOT certificate. Most people do not carry all three, and that is fine; if you cannot produce a document at the roadside, you have seven days to present it at a police station of your choice. That is what the HO/RT1, better known as a "producer", is for. Failing to produce within the seven days is itself an offence.
Full detail is on gov.uk's rights-when-stopped page. Keep a photo of the paperwork on your phone to save time if you are ever stopped.
What they can check without a reason
Tax status, MOT status and insurance are all visible through the ANPR system on the car's number plate. Many stops begin with ANPR flagging an "insurance not confirmed" or a missed MOT. The officer will usually say so once you are stopped.
Driving tax status can be checked by anyone at gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax, and MOT status at gov.uk/check-mot-history. It is worth a glance before a long trip.
Breath tests and drugs tests
If the officer reasonably suspects you have been drinking or taking drugs, that you were involved in an incident, or that you committed a moving traffic offence, they can require a roadside breath test. You can also be asked to do a saliva swab for cannabis or cocaine. Refusing without a medical reason is a separate offence, usually carrying the same penalties as the thing they suspected you of. If you are over the limit, expect to be taken to a station for an evidential test.
"On-the-spot" fixed penalty notices
Officers can issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for a long list of offences at the roadside. The common ones are:
- Speeding: usually 3 points and a £100 fine, with the option of a speed-awareness course if offered and eligible.
- Using a hand-held phone while driving: 6 points and £200.
- Not wearing a seatbelt: £100.
- Minor construction and use issues (a blown bulb, a worn tyre): usually a verbal "fix it" warning or a vehicle defect rectification scheme notice.
The officer will usually tell you then and there what they are giving. You can accept the FPN or ask for the matter to go to court. Rejecting the FPN is sometimes the right call for a borderline speeding allegation; it is almost never the right call for a tyre or bulb case.
Searches, breath samples at the station, arrest
If the officer has reasonable grounds, they can search the car. That is a higher bar than a stop. They have to tell you the reason for the search before it starts, and you can ask for a record of it.
Arrest is a separate step. If you are arrested, you have the right to free legal advice at the station, and you should use it. Nothing in this article is advice on a specific case; if you find yourself under caution, ask for a solicitor and say little else until they arrive.
Practical tipCarry a slim folder in the glovebox with a printed copy of your insurance certificate, your V5C, and the current MOT page. It will not save you from a bad day, but it will save a producer and a drive to a station with it.
Fake "police" stops
Marked police cars, blue lights and proper uniforms are what you want to see. In the UK, unmarked cars do stop drivers, usually on motorways; they must be able to identify themselves and will typically call for a marked unit to attend. If you are uneasy about a stop, keep your doors locked, lower the window a crack, dial 999 on speakerphone and ask the control room to confirm the officer. A real officer will understand.
After the stop
If you have been told to produce documents, do it. If you have been given an FPN, pay or appeal within the stated window (usually 28 days). If you were stopped because something is wrong with the car; a tyre near the limit, a bulb out; fix it before you drive it again. A second stop in the same week for the same thing is the fastest route to a worse outcome.
Driving awayIf an officer tells you the car is not roadworthy and must not be driven, they mean it. Call recovery. Driving a prohibited vehicle is a specific offence and usually ends the car's life on your insurance claim history.
Related reading: the MOT explainer covers what the test looks at, and our winter checklist runs through the under-car checks that keep tyres and lights on the right side of a stop.