Causing Death by Dangerous Driving Solicitors

If you have been charged or suspected of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving, contact us as soon as you can to find out how our expert solicitors can help.

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Causing Death by Dangerous Driving
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The offence of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving

Causing Death by Dangerous Driving is the most serious criminal motoring offence, carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

If you are reading this, you may have been informed by the police that you will be interviewed under caution for this offence, or you may already have been charged.

Whatever stage your case is at, we strongly advise you to contact us and secure legal representation as soon as possible.

Facing an allegation of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving?

If you are facing the life-altering reality of a charge involving death or serious injury by dangerous driving, it is important to have a legal team with the experience, expertise, and compassion to guide you through this difficult time. We understand that each case is unique, and we take a tailored approach to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.

With our knowledge of road traffic law and proven track record, you can trust us to provide clear advice, strong representation, and a dedicated defence strategy to help you navigate this complex and distressing process.

Call our team of driving defence solicitors now. We offer no-obligation initial advice to anyone facing a motoring charge.

We specialise in:

  • Death by Careless Driving
  • Death by Dangerous Driving
  • Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving

Defences to Dangerous Driving allegations

In order to secure a conviction, the prosecution must prove that you caused the death of another person by driving a mechanically propelled vehicle dangerously on a road or other public place.

To demonstrate “dangerous driving”, it must be proven that the standard of driving falls so far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and it would be obvious to a careful and competent driver that driving in that way would be dangerous. Essentially, the Crown must demonstrate that the driving was dangerous and that the dangerous driving caused the death of another person.

Such an assertion can be challenged via the service of a collision reconstruction report from one of our approved experts.

Issues to be considered

The police will want to interview the driver in almost every case of this type. It is therefore imperative that you have strong legal representation with you at the police station when the interview takes place.

Approaching the interview in the correct manner can be the difference between being charged with the offence and the police deciding to take no further action against you. We therefore strongly urge that you get in touch as soon as possible if you find yourself in this position as we will be well-placed to give you the best advice possible from the earliest stage in the process.

If you are ultimately charged with the offence, then there are numerous issues that must be considered such as the veracity of the Crown’s evidence and the possibility of instructing our own expert to challenge the findings of the police. Each case is different and must be judged on its own merits, however, it is important that any potential defence is identified and explored as soon as possible.

Who we are and how we can help

We specialise in all types of motoring offences. With years of extensive experience defending clients from all walks of life, we are the best choice to assist you with any motoring offence. We have handled cases before the High Court and dealt with various complex traffic charges.

Furthermore, we regularly represent clients on a guilty plea basis. We will ensure that your mitigation is presented in the best manner possible by one of our preferred barristers.

Although our firm is based in the Greater Manchester area, we represent clients nationwide.

Please give us a call if you are under police investigation for causing death by dangerous driving. We will be happy to discuss your case in detail and explain how we can assist you.

Case Example

A driver speeding in a built-up area crashes her car and the other driver dies several weeks later in hospital.

The issues to be considered in this case would be:

  1. Whether driving at that speed meets the threshold for “dangerous” driving as opposed to “careless” driving.
  2. Whether the injuries suffered in the accident caused the death of the other driver.

A case such as this would require the instruction of a forensic pathologist as well as an accident reconstruction expert.

John Ruane Solicitor

John Ruane

Your Expert Dangerous Driving Solicitor

020 8798 3963

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    What are the penalties for Death by
    Dangerous Driving?

    The offence can only be heard in the Crown Court. The maximum penalty the Court can impose is life imprisonment. Furthermore, the Court are bound to impose a minimum driving ban of five years with a requirement to pass an extended retest at the conclusion of the ban.

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    Our fees

    Our fees for dealing with such an allegation are significantly more than for other, less serious matters such is the seriousness and complexity of these types of cases. We would therefore strongly urge you to check your car insurance policy to check if you have Legal Expenses Insurance (LEI). If so, your insurer could fund your legal fees in relation to the matter.

    If you do not have LEI, or do not wish to use your policy, we offer fixed fees for our services.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    The offence is serious enough to warrant a lengthy custodial sentence and therefore we would recommend that specialist legal representation is secured as early as possible.

    We frequently represent clients on a guilty plea basis. If you opted to plead guilty, your mitigation would need to be presented as robustly as possible. We would arrange for one of the nation’s leading motoring barristers to represent you and present you in the best possible light prior to the Court imposing sentence.

    This will depend on the content of the evidence and whether any defences are available. You will be given clear and honest advice throughout the process.

    Mitigating circumstances which the Court will consider are:

    • No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
    • Good driving record
    • Actions of the victim or a third party contributed significantly to collision or death
    • Offence due to inexperience rather than irresponsibility (where offender qualified to drive)
    • Genuine emergency
    • Efforts made to assist or seek assistance for victim(s)
    • Remorse
    • The victim was a close friend or relative
    • Serious medical condition requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment
    • Age and/or lack of maturity (which may be applicable to offenders aged 18-25) 
    • Mental disorder or learning disability
    • Sole or primary carer for dependent relatives
    • Pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care
    • Difficult and/or deprived background or personal circumstances
    • Prospects of or in work, training or education 

    The Court will also take into account the defendant’s own personal circumstances before imposing sentence.

    The element of the offence that must be proved are that the standard of driving was “dangerous” and that the driving caused the death of another person.

    The prosecution are required to prove the case to the criminal standard.

    We would offer as robust a defence as possible if you were to plead not guilty to the offence.

    The prosecution will keep cases under review throughout their duration. There are times when we will be able to present evidence/representations that result in the Crown discontinuing the case prior to trial.