The Highway Code has been updated following a change in the law that affects the sentences for some driving offences. The updates are to the penalties for:
- causing death by dangerous driving
- causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs
The maximum sentence for both offences has increased from 14 years’ imprisonment to life imprisonment.
The obligatory disqualification period for both offences has increased from a minimum of 2 years to a minimum of 5 years.
The changes have been updated in annex 5 (penalties) of The Highway Code.
New driving offence
A new offence has also been created for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
This carries a maximum penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine and an obligatory driving disqualification.
3 thoughts on “Highway Code: updated sentences for driving offences”
I’m pleased about the increase in penalties…. Drivers killing /injuring people through selfish and negligent driving has not been taken seriously enough in this country !
Rushing to put people out of work by developing vehicles that drive themselves when the education system is not designed to help the underprivileged into better jobs is not going to make the roads safer; especially in the short term when such vehicles are causing fatal accidents. Making sure that people drive responsibly with enough skill is the answer in the present.
I really think individuals starting out on a driving career.
1. are a mixed variation of different types of people with a completely different view of responsibility.
2. As Great Britain opens its doors to a massive variation of personnel from countries that have a completely different approach to driving.
3. I’m an old Truck Driver and I’ve been to numerous countries in a overland capacity, experiencing some of the worst driving you can imagine..
4. Some of this extremely bad driving comes from the East of Europe ,the Arabian countries and Africa, north,south,east or west..but not only ,it also is home grown because many young people are left to do pretty much as they like.
5. When new drivers look at us for example, this is what some are being shown.
6.I believe it will take a lot of changes within the law, Making it compulsory to take driving seriously.
7.The main thing is to improve the number of police officers on traffic…