Part 3: Policing and investigation Chapter 2: Investigation of incidents by statutory inspectors Section 61: Purpose of inspectors
Subsection (1) sets out the main purpose of the role of an inspector, which is to identify, improve understanding of and reduce the risks of harm arising out of the use of authorised automated vehicles on roads in Great Britain.
	Subsection (2) states that it is not part of an inspector’s role to establish blame or liability on the part of any person in relation to a particular incident. This is to ensure that an inspector can, as far as possible, report factually and neutrally, and that any inference that an inspector has attributed blame or liability is down to the reader. For example, a report should be able to state that "the evidence is that the driver of Vehicle A did not apply the brakes until five meters before the collision occurred", without concern that someone will infer that the inspector is attributing blame or liability, as the example sentence is entirely factual. In developing the proposed functions and powers of the inspectors, the Government has been guided by international standards  . 1 These standards set out that "the sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the prevention of accidents or incidents. It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability." This independence of investigation is an essential feature of existing safety investigation regimes in the UK and internationally.
	Subsection (3) provides that the functions of inspectors are to be exercised in view of that purpose.