Now police say they WON'T seize phones at every crash

THE Association of Chief Police Officers has denied widespread newspaper reports that officers will seize mobile phones from drivers after every crash.

Several national newspapers reported at the weekend that officers would seize or examine the phones of every driver involved in a car crash.

Advice to check phones after every crash was reportedly issued to officers by Gloucestershire Chief Constable Suzette Davenport.

Now Davenport, ACPO’s national lead for Roads Policing, has issued a statement saying: ‘At no point have I issued guidance to officers to seize mobile phones from drivers at the site of every road traffic collision.

‘It is fair to say that we as a service are looking at ways of making officers and drivers more aware of the difference between the offences of driving while not in proper control of the vehicle - which is a distraction offence - and driving while using a mobile phone. Part of this process involves making sure officers know the best means of using information within a driver's mobile phone when building evidence for a successful prosecution, such as finding from call or text logs if the phone was in use at the time of an incident.

‘It has been standard practice to seize mobile phones from drivers at the scenes of very serious collisions for some time as part of the information and evidence gathering process, but it is not now, nor will it be, standard practice to seize phones from drivers after every collision.

‘Drivers must continue to be aware not only of the risks posed by being distracted by mobile phones while in control of a car, but the serious penalties which they will face if they are caught. We are unequivocal in our determination to keep all road users safe.’