Consultation on dangerous cyclist offence 14/08/2018 The UK Government is consulting on whether a new offence equivalent to causing death by careless or dangerous driving should be introduced for dangerous cyclists.
The UK Government has launched a consultation looking at whether a new offence equivalent to causing death by careless or dangerous driving should be introduced for dangerous cyclists.
According to the consultation document, it “sets out the current law under which cyclists may be prosecuted where they kill or injure others, and asks for views on creating new offences. It recognises the potential difficulties of trying to create complete parity between cyclists and drivers: for example, there are no proposals to introduce a cycling testing, licensing and insurance regime similar to that for drivers.
“The document also acknowledges the differences in drink and drug driving laws between drivers and cyclists. It is already an offence to cycle while unfit through drink or drugs but there is no proposal to introduce limits and a testing regime for cyclists.
According to the Government, more is also being done to protect cyclists and pedestrians, including a push for higher standards for cycling and walking infrastructure across the UK.
These measures follow the launch earlier this summer of a UK-wide initiative to help police crackdown on dangerous drivers who pass cyclists too closely in a two-pronged approach to make roads safer.
The Department for Transport is also looking at updating parts of the Highway Code, including measures to counter the dangerous practice of ‘close passing’ which puts people off cycling, and would benefit other vulnerable road users like horse riders.
The consultation is open until 5th November 2018.