Dangerous Driving

Dangerous driving occurs where:

• Your driving falls well below the standard that would be expected of a competent driver
• It would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that your driving would be dangerous
• It would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving a vehicle in its current state would be dangerous

Examples of dangerous include:

• Dangerous overtaking
• Racing or driving competitively
• Driving at a speed which is inappropriate given road or traffic conditions
• Persistent or deliberate bad driving
• Driving aggressively or in such a way as to intimidate other drivers, for example cutting into a line of vehicles or driving too close to the vehicle in front
• Deliberately disregarding road signs and traffic lights
• Not paying proper attention (other than momentary lapses of concentration)
• Driving on the pavement, hard shoulder or other places where cars are not intended to be
• Driving whilst in a state (other than under the influence of drugs and alcohol) where you are unfit to drive.

A conviction of dangerous driving carries with it the imposition of between three and eleven penalty points, an automatic disqualification (for a minimum period of 12 months), the likelihood of a serious fine, the possibility of a prison sentence for up to two years (more if the incident results in death). You will also need to retake your driving test.

Keepmedriving can assist you by defending the charge or by mitigating on your behalf to reduce the severity of the sentence.

If you have been charged with dangerous driving then please contact keepmedriving either by completing the appropriate online information form which you will find in the Getting Help section, by requesting a free call-back using the free, no-obligation call-back form to the right or by phoning us during office hours on 084 4804 4804

This could be particularly important in terms of your liberty. Although the charge of dangerous driving carries a custodial sentence, s 24 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 allows a jury to conclude that the driving was careless rather dangerous. Where appropriate, therefore, we can make a submission to the court asking that the jury be given such a direction.