DVSA: Highway Code - updated sentences for driving offences

IanMSpencer wrote:

So great - another dangerous driving offence that will rarely be used because the CPS haven't got a robust working standard for dangerous driving. I wonder what the fallback is from a charge of serious injury by dangerous driving - and what is the definition of serious injury?

Serious Injury is "physical harm which amounts to grievous bodily harm for the purposes of the Offences against the Person Act 1861" See https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/1A

It is up to a jury to decide if a particular injury is serious or not. Usually GBH is charged for life-changing injuries, broken bones, requiring significant medical treatment, etc.

I have read that there were 2 new serious injury offences - by dangerous driving - up to 5 years imprisonment and by careless driving - up to 2 years imprisonment.

So great - another dangerous driving offence that will rarely be used because the CPS haven't got a robust working standard for dangerous driving

It's the police, really. Almost all cases involving dangerous driving where cyclists are concerned are binned with no respose and no action, so the CPS never have to bother with them.

Agreed - although a crowd-pleaser with some folks because "longer sentences" it's all begging the question given how the system operates (totally agree about the "lack of robust working standard").

I'd say the following was slightly encouraging - although I'd have liked "... up to a maximum of 'forever' " but we don't seem capable of doing that:

Quote:

The obligatory disqualification period for both offences has increased from a minimum of 2 years to a minimum of 5 years.

As always rather than just treat the symptoms I'd far rather we worked much harder at preventing this happening in the first place.