Government reveals plan for national road crash investigation unit

A new national crash investigation body could be set up to investigate road collisions, including those involving “self-driving” cars, under government plans.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has begun a consultation into proposals to create a Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB) to examine “specific incidents of concern” and make safety recommendations.

The body would operate in a similar way to independent bodies which already examine air, maritime and rail accidents.

It would  carry out what the DfT calls “thematic investigations” and examine specific incidents to determine their cause and make safety recommendations that can be applied across the country’s road network.