What is Dangerous driving conviction?
Lets see here what constitutes a driving conviction,
and how you can avoid a increase in your insurance costs because of one.
What constitutes as
dangerous
driving?
All motoring offences determined by magistrates or
at a crown court will lead to a criminal conviction and it can can be
anything from causing death by dangerous driving or driving under the influence
of alcohol, to speeding or failing to wear a seatbelt.
All these offences can lead to a fine, penalty
points on your licence, disqualification and, in extreme cases, imprisonment.
But it’s not just the manner of your driving that
can lead to convictions. You may be committing an offence if you are driving a
defective vehicle, perhaps driving at night with no rear lights, or driving
without insurance or a valid licence or MOT. These offences can also lead to a
driving conviction.
The rules are the same, whether the person pleads
guilty, or is found guilty by the court.
However, offences that are committed but dealt with
by way of a fixed
penalty notice, do not lead to criminal convictions. The fixed penalty
notice is served because the authorities believe the offence is serious, but
not serious enough to be considered by a court of law.
Here are some of the examples listed by the police as
to what constitutes as dangerous driving, but not limited to:
- Speeding,
racing, or driving aggressively
- Ignoring
traffic lights, road signs
- Overtaking
dangerously
- Driving
under the influence of drink or drugs, including prescription drugs
- Driving
when unfit, including having an injury, being unable to see clearly,
not taking prescribed drugs, or being sleepy
- Knowing
the vehicle has a dangerous fault or an unsafe load
Distractions are also causes of dangerous driving,
for example:
- Using
a hand-held phone or other equipment
- Reading,
or looking at a map
- Talking
to and looking at a passenger
- Lighting
a cigarette, selecting music, tuning the radio
Do I have to
declare my driving convictions?
You will need to declare your convictions, both
motoring and criminal when getting a quote for an insurance policy. If you fail
to do so your insurance may be invalid and your insurer may cancel the
policy.
In the event of a claim you may not be paid, and if
you have already been paid for a claim and a previous conviction becomes
apparent, your insurer can ask for its money back.
