What Makes Driving "Dangerous"?
Meta description: This a nutshell version of a 3-part series on the topic of Dangerous Driving.
The Supreme Court in People v Quinlan [1962] and DPP v O'Shea [2017] tells us there must be "a direct and serious risk of injury to others."
While Wilkinson's Road Traffic Offences is an English legal text, it's highly relevant in Ireland as our road traffic laws share many similarities.
According to Wilkinson's (and reflected in Irish law), dangerous driving means driving that falls "far below" what's expected of a competent and careful driver.
What Does This Mean in Practice?
Think about these examples:
Racing or aggressive driving
Using your phone while driving
Ignoring traffic lights
Driving a defective vehicle
The Crucial Difference
The difference between careless and dangerous driving is one small word: "far".
Careless driving is driving that falls "below" what’s expected of a competent driver (no automatic ban for first offence)
Dangerous driving is driving that falls "far below" the standard (mandatory 2-year ban on first offence)
Remember: Context changes everything. What might be seen as dangerous at 3pm outside a school might be regarded as merely careless at 3am outside the same school.
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