CTC has responded to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance on prosecuting bad driving, calling for a more rigorous interpretation of the law as it stands - namely, that dangerous driving should be charged as such, not downgraded to careless driving.
When you hear of a case of bad driving where you feel the driver has been 'let off' without significant punishment, it's pretty likely that the reason is in part because the CPS has chosen an offence which only carries a minor penalty.
Where death has resulted, the CPS has a range of offences it can choose from, from murder or gross negligence manslaughter to causing death by dangerous or careless driving. How it decides on which offence to choose depends on the circumstances - essentially the culpability of the driver.
