AVZ Blog (October 2022) Sentencing guidelines on causing death by driving: how Scotland differs from England and Wales

Key points Scotland is consulting on sentencing guidelines for causing death by driving. The proposed guidelines include less use of prison and shorter prison sentences. Driving bans are increased in both Scotland and England and Wales with Causing death by dangerous driving and Causing death by careless driving carrying a minimum five-year disqualification (compared to …

AVZ Blog (August 2022) Motoring offences –what happened at court in 2021: England and Wales

Download this blog as a pdf here Key points At court in 2021 (England and Wales), Motoring offences—both prosecutions and convictions - rose by 22% in 2021, faster than other types of crime.Speed limit court prosecutions rose by 24% to 208,493. They account for the largest share of motoring offences prosecuted at court - despite …

AVZ Blog (August 2022) Roads Policing officer numbers, England and Wales

To download this blog click here The tables and chart linked to this blog appear in the spreadsheet below Key points (2021/22) The numbers of Roads Policing officers increased to 4,102, up by 11 officers (0.3%).Half of police services reported an increase.As a share of total police numbers, roads policing fell slightly to 3%. Total …

AVZ Blog (August 2022) Motoring offence sentencing consultation: Careless driving and custody

To download this blog as a pdf click here Key points Sentencing guidelines for motoring offences are being consulted upon – for the first time in 15 years.In general, the Sentencing Council is proposing higher starting points and sentencing ranges with more use of custodial sentences.With Causing death and serious injury by careless driving, all …

AVZ Blog (June 2022) Drug driving, rehabilitation and driving bans

To download this blog as a pdf click here Should drug drivers be rehabilitated? This is the question that the Department for Transport (DfT) is asking. Their consultation “Protecting the public from repeat drug-driving offenders: call for evidence” seeks views on the use of rehabilitation schemes for high risk drug drive offenders.   Action Vision …

AVZ Blog (Jan22) Getting unsafe drivers off our roads with license suspensions

This blog can be downloaded as a pdf here AVZ Blog (Jan22) Getting unsafe drivers off our roads with license suspensions On Monday 10th January, MPs debated whether police should have the power to suspend driving licenses. This was a Westminster Hall debate triggered by the huge public support for this change. Over 104,000 people …

AVZ Blog (Nov21) Hit and run – sentence needed that fits this cowardly crime

This blog can be downloaded as a pdf here Today there is a Westminster Hall debate on penalties for fatal road traffic offences. This has been achieved due to petitions from families bereaved by crashes where the driver left the scene. The families of Matt Smyth, Paul Wood and Ryan Saltern have made this debate …

AVZ Blog (June 2021) Driving bans – underused and inconsistent

This blog can be downloaded as a pdf here We know that active travel increased last year as did extreme speeding, with the Department for Transport (DfT) monitoring the former and police reporting the latter. And the DfT announced last week that cyclist deaths had jumped very substantially – by 40% (from 100 to 140 …