Under Section 4 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), a road check may be carried out to ascertain if a vehicle is carrying which categories?

• A. a person who has committed an indictable offence other than a road offence, a person who witnesses an offence, someone intending to commit an offence, and a person at large
• B. a person who has committed an indictable offence other than a road offence
• C. a person who witnesses an offence
• D. a person at large

Answer: (A)

Under Section 4 of PACE, road checks are permitted to determine whether any person in a vehicle falls into one of several categories that signal involvement in crime or relevance to an investigation. The categories cover a wide range of scenarios: someone who has committed an indictable offence (excluding road offences), someone who witnesses an offence, someone who intends to commit an offence, and a person who is at large. This broad scope is why the full, combined option is the best answer—it reflects the police’s ability to identify occupants who might need to be stopped, questioned, or otherwise acted upon to prevent crime, secure witnesses, or locate offenders. The other options are narrower and don’t capture the full range of people a road check may aim to identify. Remember that road checks operate on designated roads and must be proportionate and lawful to protect rights while promoting public safety.