New road rules have been introduced that could see motorists who drive recklessly hit with heavier fines and driving bans.
New sentencing guidelines have been put into law in a bid to crack down on Britons driving recklessly and creating a danger to other motorists.
The rules, which have been in operation since July 1, were introduced by the Sentencing Council and have tightened guidelines for “careless driving”.
Motorists were previously slapped with penalty points for driving without due care and attention, although punishments are now much stronger.
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Motorists are being urged to avoid distractions
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People who are found to be driving recklessly now face a short driving ban of up to 56 days for “mid-range offences”.
This could include engaging in a “brief but avoidable distraction”, performing unsafe manoeuvres and driving while deprived of sleep or rest.
Culpability levels are ranked between A and C. Level A could potentially see drivers slapped with a disqualification or between seven and nine points on their licence.
Level B can lead to five or six penalty points or the consideration of disqualification for up to 56 days, while Level C can see drivers hit with three or four points.
Britons can be issued a driving ban if they have too many penalty points
PA
Fines could also see drivers slapped with a fine worth 250 per cent of their weekly income, which could see certain motorists pay thousands of pounds for their road mistakes.
Charlotte Le Maire, transport defence specialist from CrashLaw24, has called on drivers to take the changes seriously, describing it as a “real wake-up call”.
The barrister added: “You don’t have to be intentionally dangerous behind the wheel to end up banned.
“Under these guidelines, just a momentary lapse in concentration can lead to severe consequences – a court summons, a huge fine, even losing your licence. Any driver could be one small mistake away from a ban.
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“Drivers absolutely must take these changes seriously and stay alert at all times – because a moment’s distraction can ruin lives.”
Professional drivers, including lorry drivers, bus operators and van owners, also face harsher scrutiny under the new Sentencing Council rules.
Experts have warned that people who drive as part of their jobs will not “earn any sympathy” if they are found to be committing breaches of road rules.
Aggravating factors also play a factor, with previous convictions and offences committed while on bail impacting the severity of the potential fine given out.
Other aggravating factors include offences committed in the vicinity of vulnerable road users, driving for commercial purposes and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
The sentencing changes have been introduced to tackle a surge in prosecutions after the introduction of the Causing Serious Injury by Careless Driving rules three years ago.
Motorists are being warned that there could be a spike in the number of people facing careless driving charges for “trivial errors”.
Le Maire added that she had “blunt advice” for motorists who occasionally break the law, noting that they will “pay the price”, even if it’s a “momentary mistake”.
