Perhaps one of the less controversial and less publicised aspects of the recently introduced Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, but will nonetheless impact on motorists.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0052022-police-crime-sentencing-and-courts-act-2022/circular-0052022-police-crime-sentencing-and-courts-act-2022
To compare, the present maximum sentence for careless/inconsiderate driving is a fine and points/disqualification, and is regardless of the consequences of that accident short of death (for which there is an offence of causing death by careless/inconsiderate driving).
From Tuesday, where such driving leads to serious injury, the maximum sentence is now two years in prison.
No sentencing guidelines are available to see what the range of sentences will be.
7 comments
And IIRC the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving has increased from 14 years to life imprisonment.
https://www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/driving-offences
>Some examples of careless or inconsiderate driving are:
>overtaking on the inside;
>driving too close to another vehicle;
>driving through a red light by mistake;
>turning into the path of another vehicle;
>the driver being avoidably distracted by tuning the radio, lighting a cigarette etc.
>flashing lights to force other drivers to give way;
>misusing lanes to gain advantage over other drivers;
>unnecessarily staying in an overtaking lane;
>unnecessarily slow driving or braking;
>dazzling other drivers with un-dipped headlights.
no point if they already just let people off with suspended sentences for even the most shocking examples of dangerous driving
[https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/soldier-left-pensioners-badly-hurt-24296400](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/soldier-left-pensioners-badly-hurt-24296400)
the person in that case has stayed out of jail by claiming remorse – what is actually in someone’s mind if they overtake on white lines before the brow of a hill though? Are they intending that they could seriously hurt someone, such as randomly firing a gun around a group of people.
I have a question. With the rise in escooter and ebike use, especially on pavements does this apply to them.
If someone dies on the road as a result of a car driver being reckless or dangerous, they should face manslaughter charges.
Tories blocked this exact law when Labour used to be in power and now they want it?
What good does it do to punish people for accidents?