How Long Can Traffic Police Retain Vehicle Travel Trajectory Records?
2 Answers
Traffic police do not maintain records of travel trajectories for general civilian vehicles, so the concept of retention duration does not apply. Below is an introduction regarding travel trajectories: 1. Registered Special Vehicles: Competent authorities may retain travel trajectory records. However, these are for public administration purposes and are generally not available for individual queries. 2. Another Interpretation of Travel Trajectory: Travel trajectories during traffic accidents, such as skid marks or scratches on the vehicle body. In such cases, traffic police typically retain case records to prevent future disputes. 3. Traffic Police Assisting Public Security Officers: When apprehending suspects, they may examine vehicle travel trajectories, usually by retrieving surveillance footage.
To be honest, I care quite a bit about this issue. As ordinary car owners, we inevitably leave traces when driving on the road, such as footage captured by cameras or GPS positioning. The main purpose for traffic police to retain this data is to handle accidents and investigate violations. Typically, surveillance footage is stored for about 30 days due to limited hard drive space; location data, like that from traffic checkpoints or mobile phone records, might be kept longer, ranging from a few months to a year, depending on local privacy regulations. I’ve heard from a friend that some local laws mandate retention for six months to facilitate future investigations, but keeping it too long risks privacy violations. So if you’re concerned about personal data leaks, you can inquire about the specific policies with your local traffic authorities. They also recommend installing anti-tracking devices, but honestly, that’s not a foolproof solution. Road safety comes first—if you encounter anything unusual, it’s better to investigate it as soon as possible.
