CONTROL OF DRIVERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 17

CONTROL OF DRIVERS

DANGEROUS OR CARELESS

PROPOSAL IN ENGLAND

The clauses defining "dangerous" and "careless" driving in the Draft Bill circulated by the Transport Department at Home, are interesting. Their effect is to differentiate between '' care less" driving and ''dangerous" driv ing, substantially increasing the penalties for she latter offence. The object is to strengthen the hands of the police authorities in dealing with reckless driving. The offence of driving is intended to meet cases where the offence of which the civer is guilty is not such as to justify the imposition of he heavy penalties provided in. the clause for dangerous or reckless driving, and the Court is given discretion to conyict for the lighter offence in any case in • hich it considers that this course should be taken. A conviction for "careless" driving does not make the offender liable to disqualification for holding a driver's license.

The provisions' read as follows:—

Dangerous.

If any person drives a motor vehicle on a road recklessly or negligently or at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including tie nature, condition, and use of the road and the amount of traffic which is actually at the time or which might reasonably be expected to be on the road, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable: (a) on summary conviction to iinprispninent for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction either to such imprisonment as aforesaid or to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, or to both such imprisonment and fine.

On conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term. B.ot exceeding sis months, or to a fine, provided that on a second pr* subsequent conviction under this section the convicting Court shall exercise the power conferred by thia part of this Act of ordering that the offender shall be ."disqualified for folding or obtaining; a driver's license, but this provision shall not be construed us affecting the right of the Court to exercise such pp'-er on a first conviction. • ■..-■..

Where a person 15 convicted of the offence of aiding^ abetting, cpunsollipg, or procuring an qffence under this section and it is proved thftt he was present in the vehicle fit the time of the commissipn of the offence, the offence of which ho is cpnvjeted shall for the purpose of the provisions of this part of this Act relating to disqualification for holding or obtaining drivers' licenses be deemed to be an offence in connection with the driving of a motor vehicle. Careless. If any person drives a motor vehicle on any road carelessly or without, reasonable regard to th csafety, comfort, or convenience of other persons using the road ho shall bo guilty of an offence. This section applies where the conduct complained of does not amount to an offence under the last pjeceding section or where it doos amount to such an offence but the Court considers that the case should be doalt with under this section rather than under the last preceding section. 1

A conviction for an offence under, this section shall not render tho offender liablo to be disqualified for holding or obtaining a driver's license.