New and revised definitive motoring offences guidelines

15 June 2023

The revised guidelines, which update those produced by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in 2008, reflect increased maximum penalties for causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs. The maximum penalties for these two offences were increased by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 from 14 years to life imprisonment.

New guidelines for other offences have also been published. These include careless and dangerous driving offences resulting in serious injury. The Council is also producing full guidelines for the offences of driving or being in charge of a vehicle with a concentration of a specified drug over the specified limit, offences introduced in 2015 and for which there has only been sentencing guidance so far. A new guideline has also been developed for causing injury by wanton or furious driving, which can be used where a cyclist causes death or injury.

The new and revised guidelines, which apply to adults only, will come into effect on 1 July 2023.