Criminal Matters and Driving Offences Lawyers Essex & London
In sports, your reputation is delicate and important. As soon as you believe you are at risk of being charged with a driving offence, you should contact our Reputation Management Solicitors.
What is a driving offence?
You can be charged with multiple driving offences, with punishments ranging from a fine and points on your license to jail time. When you’re involved in the sports industry, it is important you don’t attract negative attention through criminal offences, and this includes driving offences.
In England, driving offences can include:
● Dangerous driving, including causing serious injury by driving dangerously
● Careless driving, including causing death by careless driving
● Driving without a license, insurance or a MOT
● Speed offences
● Driving using a mobile phone - although a specific offence can also fall under dangerous or careless driving
Dangerous driving
If you are charged with dangerous driving, it is believed your driving falls below the expectation of a ‘competent and careful’ driver, and it is believed to of been obvious that driving in such a way would have been dangerous.
This offence is found under s2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It can include but is not limited to, actions such as:
● Driving aggressively or overtaking in a dangerous situation.
● Using a handheld device, including a mobile phone, or lighting a cigarette, looking at a passenger or any other avoidable distractions.
● Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or otherwise unfit such as an injury.
● Knowing the vehicle has an unsafe fault or load.
Careless or inconsiderate driving
This offence is found under s3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and focuses on driving without due care and attention when driving.
It can include but is not limited to, actions such as:
● Driving that impacts others on the road, such as turning into the path of another, driving too close to another vehicle, and not dipping your headlights.
● Misuse of lanes, such as overtaking on the inside, unnecessarily staying in the overtaking lane, and misusing lanes to gain an advantage over other drivers.
● Being avoidably distracted.
What are the penalties for a driving offence?
What penalty you have applied depends on the offence you are being charged with. For driving offences, it can range from a fine and points on your licence for speeding to a lifetime jail sentence for causing death by dangerous driving.
Because of this, it is crucial that you contact a legal expert as soon as you can.
Assault during sporting activities
Offences against the person include common assault, actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH), and they can happen on the sporting field. Even acts that you will typically see in a game can lead to criminal charges, such as a tackle during a football game. However, these charges can be difficult to prove.
Serious injury is a part of sports, and accidents do happen. This makes it difficult to determine when an act is criminal, and each case must be reviewed closely on a case-by-case basis. Conduct beyond what could reasonably be expected is the test applied by the courts, taking into consideration the type of sport, the level and nature of the sport, along with factors such as the force used and the state of mind of the defendant.
Why choose us?
Our focus is always on you. We know how challenging it is to face a criminal charge, but even more so when it puts your reputation and career on the line.
With over 30 years of experience across our team, we will work with you and your team to find the best solution there is, providing you with support from start to finish to help manage your reputation.
Contact our Criminal and Driving Offences Solicitors today
The sooner you get in touch, the faster we can take action to help you. Contact us today here or call us on 020 3500 7471.