Yet again we have the public outrage to something we are all capable of doing. Do people here actually think that CPS even consider the difference between dangerous and careless? No they dont!!! They are as likely to prosecute you for dangerous driving if you've caused an accident with a honest mistake as they are if you caused it malicously. Why is this I hear you ask? This is because of similar views being held by members of the public.
Pressure on the goverment by victims familys who are intent on revenge and not justice is spirraling the dangerous driving conviction out of control and making the charge and conviction into a joke. Drivers are now having to rely on jurys to see sense as magistrates are more than likely to side with the police. The thing is, jurys can be people like you...pointing the finger and throwing stones at glass houses. You see, it can happen to anyone. All that sit in judgement one day could end up in court being judged. These days, due to the pressure groups, even things like hitting the accelerator instead of the brake and being stung by wasps constitutes dangerous driving. Even when a judge saw sense and changed the charge of a man who inadvertally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake to careless driving, the CPS took it to high court and appealed. This man is now serving a 5 year prison sentence. How can something so silly in error be constituted as danerous driving? Im talking about the letter of the law "driving in a manner which falls FAR below that of a competent driver and driving in such a way that it would be obvious to a competent driver that there is a serious risk of personal injury or serious damage to property". How is that a manner that falls far below and how would any driver possibly know they are doing such a thing? It only takes a slight movement of the body for you to mis-time where your right foot goes. And its more common than many of you think. Yet these drivers are in prison with murderers, theives and rapists! Justice has turned into revenge.
So, please think twice about lamblasting anyone who has been taken to court for this offence. One day it could be you that hits that accelorator instead of the brake, or you that gets a sudden glare of light in your face, or you that is slightly over the speed limit and causes an accident. 9 times out of 10 we would all be able to correct ourself before any problem occurs but there is always that chance that we wont. You can say you are a good driver and it will never happen to you, just remember it only takes once for this to happen.