❓ WA Police provide data on RBTs, charges, infringements, cautions, defect orders, and vehicle seizures from 2020-2024. Data collection limitations are noted for some categories.
AnsweredQoN 2150Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many random breath tests were undertaken in the following years: (a) 2020; (b) 2021; (c) 2022; (d) 2023; and (e) 2024 to date? (2) For each of the years in (1), what was the number of people charged for: (a) excess 0.5% blood alcohol content (BAC); (b) excess 0.8% BAC; and (c) driving under the influence? (3) For each of the years in (1), what were the number of briefs for: (a) speeding issued by a speed camera; (b) speeding issued by a police officer; (c) seat belt offences; (d) dangerous, wilfully dangerous (reckless) and careless driving; and (e) use of mobile phone? (4) For each of the years in (1), what were the number of infringements for: (a) speeding issued by a speed camera; (b) speeding issued by a police officer; (c) seat belt offences; (d) dangerous, wilfully dangerous (reckless) and careless driving; and (e) use of mobile phone? (5) For each of the years in (1), what were the number of cautions for: (a) speeding issued by a speed camera; (b) speeding issued by a police officer; (c) seat belt offences; (d) dangerous, wilfully dangerous (reckless) and careless driving; and (e) use of mobile phone? (6) For each of the years in (1), what were the number of vehicle defect orders issued? (7) For each of the years in (1), what were the number of vehicles seized by police under the 'Hoon', 'No Authority to Drive' category?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2024
Responded by
Minister for Emergency Services representing the Minister for Police
Response time
8 days
The Western Australia Police Force advise:
1. The number of roadside breath tests (includes preliminary and random breath tests):
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
Roadside Breath Tests
1,327,123
2,039,862
2,257,609
2,014,941
1,394,804
2. The number of people charged for (a) excess 0.05%, (b) excess 0.08%, (c) DUI:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(a) excess 0.05%
1,482
1,627
1,660
1,462
945
(b) excess 0.08%
4,633
4,618
4,884
4,103
3,004
(c) DUI
2,157
2,005
2,053
1,885
1,212
3. Number of briefs:
a – b Unable to be answered as briefs in the Prosecutions application are not able to be distinguished by detection mode.
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(c) seat belt offences
416
313
359
304
213
(d) dangerous, wilfully dangerous (reckless) and careless driving
2,892
2,867
2,736
2,932
2,089
(e) use of mobile phone
181
161
206
155
101
4. The number of infringements
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(a) speeding issued by a speed camera
595,266
734,487
775,819
756,525
406,865
(b) speeding issued by a police officer
100,209
74,831
67,779
50,916
52,336
(c) seat belt offences
2,804
1,856
2,184
1,774
1,804
(d) careless driving ONLY
1,243
1,412
1,470
1,376
1,082
(e) use of mobile phone
7,889
4,909
6,342
3,590
3,405
(d) Only Careless Driving offences can be infringed (RTA s62). Dangerous and Reckless Driving offences require summonses (briefs).
5. The number of cautions:
a. Unable to be answered, there is no recording mechanism for issuing a caution in regards to a camera detected infringement.
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(b) speeding issued by a police officer
16,472
15,172
13,491
9,511
6,592
(c) seat belt offences
988
725
992
834
416
d-e Cannot be answered, as data for these caution types is not distinguished; cautions for any matters other than speeding and seatbelts are aggregated and recorded as ‘other’.
6. The number of vehicle defect orders:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
Vehicle Defect Orders
5,040
4,011
4,311
3,191
2,007
7. The number of vehicles seized under the 'Hoon', 'No Authority to Drive' category:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
Vehicle impoundments
9,922
7,976
7,866
7,100
5,842
Notes
1. Statistics are provisional and subject to revision.
2. *2024 YTD refers to 01 January 2024 to 19 September 2024, inclusive for all answers.
3. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WA Police Force suspended the Random Breath Testing (RBT) and Random Drug Testing (RDT) policy on 17 March 2020. As a result, mass breath testing operations including the Road Trauma Trust Account funded Operation Perception ceased, and ‘business as usual’ tests changed to a targeted model based on driver behaviour, observations and officer safety. The policy recommenced from 06 June 2020 at a reduced rate with additional protective measures in place for officers. This has contributed to a lower than usual number of random breath tests in 2020 and 2021.
1. The number of roadside breath tests (includes preliminary and random breath tests):
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
Roadside Breath Tests
1,327,123
2,039,862
2,257,609
2,014,941
1,394,804
2. The number of people charged for (a) excess 0.05%, (b) excess 0.08%, (c) DUI:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(a) excess 0.05%
1,482
1,627
1,660
1,462
945
(b) excess 0.08%
4,633
4,618
4,884
4,103
3,004
(c) DUI
2,157
2,005
2,053
1,885
1,212
3. Number of briefs:
a – b Unable to be answered as briefs in the Prosecutions application are not able to be distinguished by detection mode.
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(c) seat belt offences
416
313
359
304
213
(d) dangerous, wilfully dangerous (reckless) and careless driving
2,892
2,867
2,736
2,932
2,089
(e) use of mobile phone
181
161
206
155
101
4. The number of infringements
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(a) speeding issued by a speed camera
595,266
734,487
775,819
756,525
406,865
(b) speeding issued by a police officer
100,209
74,831
67,779
50,916
52,336
(c) seat belt offences
2,804
1,856
2,184
1,774
1,804
(d) careless driving ONLY
1,243
1,412
1,470
1,376
1,082
(e) use of mobile phone
7,889
4,909
6,342
3,590
3,405
(d) Only Careless Driving offences can be infringed (RTA s62). Dangerous and Reckless Driving offences require summonses (briefs).
5. The number of cautions:
a. Unable to be answered, there is no recording mechanism for issuing a caution in regards to a camera detected infringement.
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
(b) speeding issued by a police officer
16,472
15,172
13,491
9,511
6,592
(c) seat belt offences
988
725
992
834
416
d-e Cannot be answered, as data for these caution types is not distinguished; cautions for any matters other than speeding and seatbelts are aggregated and recorded as ‘other’.
6. The number of vehicle defect orders:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
Vehicle Defect Orders
5,040
4,011
4,311
3,191
2,007
7. The number of vehicles seized under the 'Hoon', 'No Authority to Drive' category:
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 YTD*
Vehicle impoundments
9,922
7,976
7,866
7,100
5,842
Notes
1. Statistics are provisional and subject to revision.
2. *2024 YTD refers to 01 January 2024 to 19 September 2024, inclusive for all answers.
3. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WA Police Force suspended the Random Breath Testing (RBT) and Random Drug Testing (RDT) policy on 17 March 2020. As a result, mass breath testing operations including the Road Trauma Trust Account funded Operation Perception ceased, and ‘business as usual’ tests changed to a targeted model based on driver behaviour, observations and officer safety. The policy recommenced from 06 June 2020 at a reduced rate with additional protective measures in place for officers. This has contributed to a lower than usual number of random breath tests in 2020 and 2021.
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