Road Traffic Offences - Key Developments for Criminal Law Practitioners

Introduction

Road traffic law is not an easy area of law and you have to constantly have in mind changes brought about by legislation in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court as to how matters should be dealt with.

This webinar is aimed at those practitioners (prosecution, defence, legal advisers) who deal with road traffic cases at court (Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court) or even at the earlier stage during the investigation at the police station.

You may deal with such matters infrequently or you may be experienced in these matters and simply wish to be kept up-to-date.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Serious road traffic offences - causing death by dangerous driving or causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs - sentencing powers
• Advising at the police station stage - are there any benefits to be gained from making full admissions in terms of the impact upon sentence later on at court?
• Changes brought about by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
• Custodial sentences and disqualifications from driving - extensions/uplifts/adjustments in this area
• Retests - circumstances in which they are obligatory and circumstances in which they are discretionary
• The essence of a special reason when trying to avoid either penalty points or a disqualification from driving
• Exceptional hardship as a means of avoiding a disqualification for a potential totter. Be aware of the latest guidance for Magistrates’ - it is not good news for the defendant!
• 12 important Guidelines published by the Sentencing Council as regards road traffic offences
• The legislation regarding alcohol and drugs when the case is dealt with at the Magistrates’ Court stage - a consideration of the medical defence in the area of drugs
• Are we ever going to get a scheme for the drug drivers along the lines of the scheme that we already have in relation to alcohol?
• A ‘Driving Prohibition Requirement’ - a new concept introduced by Section 14 of the Sentencing Act 2026
• Discretionary disqualifications and obligatory disqualifications

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Wednesday 16th September 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,300+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.