Dumfries Dangerous Driving Charge Reduced To Careless

Our client was accused of driving dangerously by overtaking cars at temporary traffic lights and going through a red light. The truth of the matter was that our client and the two vehicles in front pulled out to go through the green light. The lights changed and the two cars in front pulled sharply in leaving our client hanging in the wrong lane approaching the red light. 

To compound matters there had been an accident at the lights shortly before this and the police were there. A police officer (apparently) launched himself in front of our client's vehicle to prevent the car going through the lights and 'save the public'. In reality he put his hand up and our client stopped without any drama before the lights.

A discussion was had at the roadside whereby our client was informed that he was going to be given a fixed penalty for a red light offence. It thereafter occured to the officers that as he hadn't actually gone through the light he didn't commit that offence and this led to the trumped up nonsense charge of dangerous driving contrary to section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

We were instructed and following several months of wrangling the Crown accepted a plea of guilty to the statutory alternative of careless driving. Our Mr Simpson appeared on 17th November 2020 and persuaded the Sheriff to deal with the matter by the imposition of 7 penalty points and a fine.

 Kept Licence!