Driving examiners to wear body worn cameras

From today (25 January) driving examiners will begin to wear body worn cameras to help tackle an increase in abuse.  

The DVSA has taken this decision due to an increase in unacceptable violent and abusive incidents against driving examiners since testing restarted after the pandemic restrictions.

Although the most recent figures show incidents of abuse have dropped since, they still remain on course to be higher than before the pandemic. 

When the cameras will be used

The cameras will be an essential part of uniform, for examiners’ safety.  

They will only be switched on if the examiner feels threatened or to capture inappropriate behaviour. The footage, where appropriate, will be used to prosecute offenders if abuse occurs. 

The cameras cannot be used to dispute a candidate’s test result. 

Letting your pupils know

Please inform your pupils and candidates that they will start to see examiners wearing body cameras.

Please remind them of the serious consequences of abusing an examiner, which might include cancelled tests or even prosecution.  

Body worn cameras are not new to DVSA, our enforcement examiners tackling road-side issues have worn them for several years. 

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