In England and Wales, cyclists may potentially receive life sentences if a newly proposed law is enacted, due to the causation of pedestrian deaths.
Dangerous and Reckless Cycling Could Land You Behind Bars
Taking a bike ride in England and Wales might land you in prison for life if you accidentally kill a pedestrian due to your careless or dangerous actions. This tougher legislation is being proposed under amendments to the Crime and Policing bill.
Currently, dangerous cycling can get you a maximum sentence of two years in prison. However, the government plans to put cycling offenses on par with driving laws, looking to increase penalties for causing death by dangerous cycling. The Department for Transport introduced these changes on Thursday.
These amendments revive a planned law changes initiated by the Conservative Party, which stalled with the general election that brought Labour into power. Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, is spearheading this legislative shift. At present, reckless cycling falls under outdated laws dating back to the 1860s.
A spokesperson from the Department for Transport said, "Dangerous cycling is unacceptable, and road safety is a top priority for our government. We're proposing new offenses and penalties for dangerous cycling, modernizing outdated legislation, to ensure those who disregard safety laws face the full force of the law."
This development has been welcomed by campaigners, with those affected by cycling-related tragedies expressing relief. Matt Briggs, whose wife was killed by a cyclist nine years ago, praised the new policy and expressed enthusiasm for life sentences being considered.
However, not everyone agrees with this reform. Chris Boardman, the national active travel commissioner for England, has previously argued that the proposed laws could deter people from cycling in the UK.
As we move forward, road safety laws will likely be revised to make cycling behaviors commensurate with the consequences they can cause. Stay safe and pedal responsibly!
- The proposed amendments to the Crime and Policing bill aim to increase penalties for causing death by dangerous cycling, aligning cycling offenses with driving laws in the field of policy-and-legislation.
- In the realm of general-news, the Department for Transport introduced changes on Thursday that revive planned law changes from the Conservative Party, which had earlier stalled due to a general election.
- The tougher legislation, spearheaded by Heidi Alexander, transport secretary, seeks to modernize outdated laws dating back to the 1860s regarding transportation, specifically dangerous and reckless cycling, and lie within the scope of politics and finance, as the penalties for these offenses could have significant implications.
