There are five separate offences which could result from you driving dangerously or without consideration, namely dangerous driving, careless and inconsiderate driving, causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving and driving without reasonable consideration.

Dangerous driving occurs where your driving falls well below the standard that would be expected of a competent driver, or where it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that your driving would be dangerous or where it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving a vehicle in its current state would be dangerous

Where dangerous driving leads to the death of another person – whether pedestrian, other driver or a person in the same vehicle, then the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving will have been committed.

Introduced in August 2008, the new offence of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving has filled a gap in the law. Previously, in most cases where neither drink or drugs were involved, only the offence of causing death by dangerous driving could be charged where a fatal accident had occurred.

Careless driving (or driving without due care and attention) is defined as any driving which falls below the standard that a competent and careful driver would expect and takes two forms, namely driving without due care and attention, and driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.

If because of the way you are driving you are regarded as having inconvenienced others then you may be charged with driving without reasonable consideration.