Highway patrol

For other uses, see Highway patrol (disambiguation).

A highway patrol is a police unit, detail, or law enforcement agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways within a jurisdiction. They are also referred to in many countries as traffic police, although in other countries this term is more commonly used to refer to foot officers on point duty who control traffic at junctions. In the United States, some state-level law enforcement agencies are called “state police” or “state patrol” rather than “highway patrol,” although these agencies often perform similar functions.

A Dodge Charger from the Georgia State Patrol at Toccoa Falls.

Functions

Duties of highway patrols or traffic police may include the following:

• Accident investigation: Gathering evidence to determine the cause of a roadway accident.
• Commercial vehicle enforcement: Enforcing highway laws related to commercial transport, including weight limits and hazardous materials rules.
• Education: Providing public information, handouts, and displays to encourage safe driving and usage of the roads.
• Emergency response: Securing the scene of a traffic accident by using cones and flares as well as providing first aid to the injured.
• Traffic enforcement: Enforcing laws and regulations intended to improve traffic safety, such as speed limits.

See also

• Traffic police
• Traffic warden
• State police
• Police
• Chief of police
• Constable