What is dangerous driving?
Dangerous driving is a form of driving that could potentially cause harm to other road users such as cars, bicycles or pedestrians. The severity of the charges depends on how much damage the dangerous driving has caused. Dangerous driving can also be identified when a driver is driving below the standard of competent driving.
There is a range of behaviours on the road that can be classed as dangerous driving:
- Competitive driving or racing
- Disobedience of traffic signals
- Driving on pavements
- Dangerous use of a hand-held mobile phone
- Dangerous overtaking
- Driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition
However, careless and dangerous driving can have very different consequences. Careless driving is tailgating, sudden breaking and having your attention diverted by something else. It can be very easy to judge others driving behaviours from one act, when in fact, they are a good driver.
Even though a careless driving penalty can be lower than a dangerous driving penalty, any sort of penalties can be an inconvenience. We advise that you contact one of our solicitors to get advice on how to get help with your charges so that you can get back to living your daily life in no time.
What should I do if I have been charged with dangerous driving?
If you have been charged with dangerous driving, here at Solicitors On Your Side, we believe that you deserve the correct representation. We make sure that your voice is heard along with your side of the story. The consequences of dangerous driving can be life-changing, impacting your daily life, with the most severe conviction being imprisonment. It is very difficult to judge an individual’s situation, especially when the driver could have deemed their behaviour essential in a given situation.
Penalties for dangerous driving
We advise that the penalties can vary significantly, depending on the severity of the offence. Imprisonment is usually charged for the more serious offenders, like individuals with previous convictions, or people who were deliberately dangerously driving causing harm to other people.
| Offence | Maximum Penalty | Penalty points |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous Driving | 2 years imprisonment, unlimited fine, obligatory disqualification | 3-11 |
How can we help?
In court, there is a variety of arguments that can be used to help defend your case, no matter how severe it is, there are a range of factors that can help reduce your penalty. As dangerous and careless driving can be very objective, factual information and evidence may be very helpful with your case. Mechanical faults with the vehicle which was driven at the time could be a cause of dangerous driving. Automatism can also help a case; if for some reason the driver lost control as a result of non-induced incapacitation.
As mentioned before, the act of dangerous driving could be deemed as an essential course of behaviour taken by the driver, to avoid danger to themself or others, which may be necessary behaviour. Every situation is different, and these circumstances do not apply to every case. Our solicitors can give you the best advice possible.
Have you been convicted of a motoring offence?
If you have been charged with a motoring offence, contact Solicitors On Your side now to help you lower your motoring offence penalties. We understand that these situations can be very time consuming and stressful but at Solicitors On Your Side, we will try to make the process as quick as possible.
If a person who has been charged with dangerous driving is disqualified from driving, they may have to re-apply for a provisional licence and perform a retest before they can start driving again. If the individual fails to perform a retest, they will not be allowed to drive again until they complete and pass any necessary tests for the vehicle they drive.
Get in touch with us
Get in touch with us now if you have been charged with a motoring offence, remember that there are always better options out there!
Contact our solicitors now!
Contact us now. Solicitors On Your Side can offer you free advice and consultations.
Contact us today by phoning 0330 912 2124, emailing [email protected], or by using our website by filling out an online form.
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