Road Traffic Law - Exploring the Most Serious Offences for Criminal Practitioners

Introduction

This webinar deals with the most serious offences in relation to road traffic law; death by dangerous driving, taking a motor vehicle without consent and causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, causing death whilst driving (disqualified).

It is important for criminal practitioners in the Crown Court, Magistrates and Police Station to have up to date knowledge on these crucial offences.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Causation - was the death caused by the suspect (at the police station) or the defendant at Court - the important Supreme Court judgements of both Hughes and Taylor
• Increased penalties as a result of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
• Increased periods of incarceration for any defendant sentenced to 4 years or more as a result of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
• Mandatory disqualification periods from driving (absent special reasons)
• Compulsory or discretionary re-tests
• Expert witnesses
• Seeking to persuade the Court to suspend the sentence - did the suspect make admissions in the interview? Were they co-operative? Did they show remorse?
• Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs - the legal position where the suspect fails to provide or fails to give consent for analysis of the sample
• Manslaughter in this area of law
• The position in the Youth Court - are these offences of homicide? Can the Youth Court accept jurisdiction?
• Causing death whilst driving (disqualified drivers)
• The dangerous offender provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and the Sentencing Act 2020 - see Schedule 18 (Specified Offences) but not Schedule 15 (‘2 strikes and it’s life’)

This webinar was recorded on 16th October 2023

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