New offence of causing death by dangerous cycling leads for call to reform all road traffic laws

 

THE new offence of causing death by dangerous cycling, announced last week, will result in cyclists facing the same penalties as drivers and motorcyclists.

There is concern that this new traffic law, however necessary, replacing as it does outdated 19th century legislation, will create the perception that cyclists  are more dangerous than the facts reveal. 

Chris Boardman, Active Travel Commissioner for England, put it neatly into context by stating far more people are injured by cows or killed in lightning strikes than by cyclists!

"30,000 people are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year, less than three involving a cyclist": Chris Boardman.

The new law makes it an offence to cause death or serious injury by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling.

This new offence is not “anti-cycling” insists the Conservative MP Duncan Smith, who made reference to the death of Kim Briggs in 2016.

She died after Charlie Alliston collided with her in London, riding a fixed-gear bike which illegally had no front brake.

The tragedy had the legal profession scratching around to find the most appropriate legislation to deal with this crime.

In the end Allison was convicted of causing bodily harm by “wanton and furious driving”, an offence under a 19^th century legislation.

This drew criticism that this old law clearly did not cover circumstances such as that which led to the death of Briggs.

Cycling groups issued a collective sigh at the announcement of the new legislation because this did not address wider concerns about road safety.

Cycling UK’s head of campaigns Duncan Dollimore was quoted in The Guardian saying it was clear work needs to be done to make the roads safer for everyone, “but tinkering at the edges of reform will be adding new offences to existing road traffic laws which already aren’t working.”

He said what was needed was an in-depth review of road traffic laws and penalties promised 10 years ago.

“It’s time the government answered our consistent call for a full review,” said Dollimore.

 Now here’s a thing.

Duncan Smith, who backed this amendment to the criminal justice bill, is a curious bedfellow when it comes to upholding the law.

It wasn’t so long ago that Smith was encouraging people to commit criminal damage by attacking ULEV cameras in London.