United Kingdom
Careless and Dangerous Driving UK: Penalties and Points
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 25, 2026). · 21 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Careless driving is driving that falls below the standard of a competent and careful driver, and dangerous driving is driving that falls far below it; in England, Wales and Scotland the first is punished by a fine and 3 to 9 points, the second by up to 2 years in prison and an obligatory ban of at least 12 months. Both offences are in the Road Traffic Act 1988, and the same tests apply when bad driving causes death or serious injury.
Northern Ireland has its own road traffic law with different maximum sentences, so it has its own section below. This page covers the two tests, the penalties, the fixed penalty and course for careless driving, the death and injury offences, the duty to stop after an accident, and how sentencing works.
The two tests: below the standard, or far below it
The difference between careless and dangerous driving is one of degree, measured against an imagined competent and careful driver.
| Careless driving | Dangerous driving | |
|---|---|---|
| Offence | Section 3 | Section 2 |
| Test | The driving falls below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver (s.3ZA) | The driving falls far below that standard, and it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving that way would be dangerous (s.2A) |
| Where tried | Magistrates' court only | Magistrates' court or Crown Court |
Section 3 also covers driving without reasonable consideration for other road users, which the Act limits to cases where other people are actually inconvenienced by the driving.
For dangerous driving, dangerous means a danger of injury to any person or of serious damage to property. A driver can also commit the offence by driving a vehicle whose current state would obviously be dangerous to a competent and careful driver. Trained police drivers are judged against a careful constable with the same training.
Both offences apply to driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place. Dangerous and inconsiderate cycling are dealt with separately, and the Crime and Policing Act 2026 contains provisions on them (section 141).
Penalties for careless and dangerous driving (England, Wales and Scotland)
The penalties are set by Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.
| Careless driving (s.3) | Dangerous driving (s.2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum in the magistrates' court | Level 5 fine (unlimited in England and Wales) | 6 months or a fine, or both |
| Maximum in the Crown Court | Not applicable (summary only) | 2 years or a fine, or both |
| Disqualification | Discretionary | Obligatory, minimum 12 months |
| Penalty points if not disqualified | 3 to 9 | 3 to 11 |
| Retest | Court may order one | Extended driving test compulsory |
Careless driving carries no prison sentence. It is endorsed on the licence with code CD10 (without due care and attention), CD20 (without reasonable consideration) or CD30 (either), and the points stay on the record for 4 years from the date of the offence. Dangerous driving is code DD40. The gov.uk endorsement codes table lists them all, and our guide to penalty points explains totting up.
Minimum ban and the extended retest
For dangerous driving, section 34 of the Offenders Act sets a minimum disqualification of 12 months unless the court finds special reasons. That rises to 2 years if the driver had more than one disqualification of 56 days or more in the previous 3 years.
Section 36 then requires the court to disqualify the driver until they pass an extended driving test. The retest is compulsory for dangerous driving and for causing death or serious injury by dangerous driving. For careless driving it is discretionary: the court may order a retest, having regard to the safety of road users.
The fixed penalty and course for careless driving
Since 16 August 2013, police have been able to deal with lower-level careless driving by a fixed penalty. The government's announcement set it at £100 and 3 penalty points, with the most serious examples still going to court. We found no later change to that figure.
A fixed penalty is an offer, not a conviction imposed on the spot. The driver can decline it and have the case decided by a court, where the full range of penalties applies.
Police can also offer educational training as an alternative to prosecution. The national course is Safe and Considerate Driving, which lasts 6 hours and 55 minutes. Whether to offer it is at the absolute discretion of the chief officer of police, and there is no automatic right to a course. The fee is set by the course provider and is separate from the £100 penalty.
Our pages on fixed penalty notices and the speed awareness course explain how these offers work more generally.
When bad driving causes death or serious injury
Separate offences apply where careless or dangerous driving causes death or serious injury. In England and Wales serious injury means grievous bodily harm; in Scotland it means severe physical injury.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 raised two maxima from 14 years to life and created a new serious injury offence. Those changes came into force on 28 June 2022 and apply to offences committed from that date.
| Offence (Road Traffic Act 1988) | Maximum sentence | Points if not disqualified |
|---|---|---|
| Causing death by dangerous driving (s.1) | Life (14 years for offences before 28 June 2022) | 3 to 11 |
| Causing serious injury by dangerous driving (s.1A) | 5 years | 3 to 11 |
| Causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving (s.2B) | 5 years | 3 to 11 |
| Causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving (s.2C) | 2 years | 3 to 11 |
| Causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs (s.3A) | Life (14 years for offences before 28 June 2022) | 3 to 11 |
For causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving under the influence, the 2022 Act also raised the minimum disqualification to 5 years. The Sentencing Council notes the previous minimum was 2 years for earlier offences.
Causing death by careless driving under section 2B has a maximum of 5 years. It is sometimes confused with the 14-year figure that used to apply to the section 1 and section 3A offences before 2022.
Related offences cover driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured: causing death while unlicensed or uninsured (s.3ZB) carries up to 2 years, causing death while disqualified (s.3ZC) up to 10 years, and causing serious injury while disqualified (s.3ZD) up to 4 years.
The duty to stop and report an accident
Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 applies when, because a vehicle was on a road or other public place, an accident causes:
- injury to a person other than the driver;
- damage to another vehicle;
- injury to an animal other than one in or on the driver's vehicle;
- damage to property on or next to the road, such as walls, fences or street furniture.
The driver must stop and, if anyone with reasonable grounds asks, give their name and address, the owner's name and address, and the vehicle's registration. If for any reason they do not give their name and address at the scene, they must report the accident at a police station or to a constable as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours.
Where someone is injured and the driver does not produce insurance at the time, they must report the accident and produce the insurance certificate, with 7 days to produce it at a police station. For this section, animal means a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog, so a cat is not included.
Failing to stop or report carries up to 6 months in prison or a level 5 fine, or both, with 5 to 10 points and discretionary disqualification. The endorsement codes are AC10 for failing to stop and AC20 for failing to give particulars or report within 24 hours. Driving without insurance is a separate offence covered in our guide to driving without insurance.
Sentencing guidelines in England and Wales
The Sentencing Council guidelines apply to adult offenders in England and Wales. Courts place the offence in a category by culpability (how bad the driving was) and harm, then start from the figure the guideline gives.
Careless driving
The careless driving guideline, effective from 1 July 2025, gives a range of a Band A fine to a Band D fine. Higher culpability includes driving just below the threshold for dangerous driving; lower culpability includes a momentary lapse of concentration.
| Culpability | Points (if not disqualified) |
|---|---|
| A (highest) | Consider disqualification, or 7 to 9 points |
| B | 5 to 6 points, or consider disqualification of up to 56 days |
| C (lowest) | 3 to 4 points |
Dangerous driving
The dangerous driving guideline, effective from 1 July 2023, gives a range from a community order to 2 years' custody. The starting point for the most serious category (highest culpability, with injury or damage) is 1 year 6 months' custody, and for the least serious it is a medium level community order.
Causing death
| Guideline | Culpability A | Culpability B | Culpability C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causing death by dangerous driving (range 2 to 18 years) | 12 years (8 to 18) | 6 years (4 to 9) | 3 years (2 to 5) |
| Causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving (range community order to 4 years) | 2 years (1 to 4) | 1 year (26 weeks to 3 years) | 26 weeks (medium level community order to 1 year) |
These are guideline starting points and ranges, not the legal maxima set out above.
Scotland
Scotland shares the Road Traffic Act 1988 offences, including the careless and dangerous driving tests, the death and serious injury offences, and the 24-hour reporting rule under section 170. Schedule 2 sets some Scotland-specific summary maxima: 6 months for causing death by careless driving tried summarily and 12 months for causing serious injury by careless driving.
The Sentencing Council guidelines described above do not apply in Scotland. Prosecutions are brought by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
Fixed penalty notices under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 extend to Scotland. For offences caught by safety cameras, a 2017 Transport Scotland FAQ said a conditional offer of fixed penalty under the same Act will usually be sent, and that driver awareness courses were not available in Scotland at that time. We could not confirm whether that has changed since.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland's offences are in the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, with penalties in Schedule 1 to the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. The careless driving offence is worded the same way, but several maxima differ materially from Great Britain.
| Offence (1995 Order) | Maximum in Northern Ireland | Great Britain for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous driving (art. 10) | 5 years on indictment; 6 months summarily | 2 years |
| Causing death or grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving (art. 9) | 14 years | Life (death); 5 years (serious injury) |
| Causing death or grievous bodily injury by careless driving (art. 11A) | 5 years | 5 years (death); 2 years (serious injury) |
| Causing death or grievous bodily injury by careless driving under the influence (art. 14) | 14 years | Life (death) |
| Careless driving (art. 12) | Level 5 fine, 3 to 9 points | Level 5 fine, 3 to 9 points |
Northern Ireland combines death and grievous bodily injury in single offences. As far as we found, it has no separate offence matching the Great Britain offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.
Since 15 May 2023, police in Northern Ireland can deal with careless driving by a £100 fixed penalty and 3 points. The Department for Infrastructure said the PSNI can offer remedial training as an alternative, and gave its cost in 2023 as £120.80.
The duty to stop and report is in Article 175 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. The driver must stop and give details on request; if details are not given, or someone is injured, the driver must report the accident forthwith at a police station or to a police officer. The offence is knowingly failing to comply. There is no 24-hour window in that text. It is a defence to prove good cause for not reporting forthwith and that the report was made as soon as reasonably practicable. The penalty is a level 5 fine or 6 months, or both, with 5 to 10 points.
Proposed changes
The Department for Transport's consultation on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences ran from 7 January 2026 to 11 May 2026. It asked, among other things, whether the penalties for failing to stop and report should rise, and whether a driver under investigation for a serious offence causing death or serious injury should have their licence suspended.
The government says it is analysing the feedback, and no outcome had been published when we checked on 25 October 2026. Nothing in the consultation has changed the law, and it did not propose changing the careless or dangerous driving offences themselves.
Getting help
Anyone interviewed at a police station is entitled to free legal advice from a duty solicitor. The serious offences on this page can go to the Crown Court, and criminal legal aid may cover representation. Our guide to magistrates' court vs Crown Court explains where each kind of case is heard, and you can check the points on your licence online. Other motoring offences are covered in the UK driving laws hub, including drink driving bans, drug driving and mobile phone driving law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between careless and dangerous driving?
It is a question of degree. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, driving is careless if it falls below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and dangerous if it falls far below that standard and it would be obvious to such a driver that driving that way would be dangerous. Dangerous driving is a much more serious offence with an obligatory ban.
Can you go to prison for careless driving?
Not for careless driving on its own. It is a summary offence punished by a fine and 3 to 9 penalty points, and the court may also disqualify. In Great Britain, prison becomes possible where careless driving causes serious injury (up to 2 years) or death (up to 5 years), or causes death while under the influence of drink or drugs (up to life).
How many points do you get for careless driving?
The range is 3 to 9 points, recorded as CD10 for driving without due care and attention. A fixed penalty brings 3 points. In court, the Sentencing Council guideline in England and Wales suggests 3 to 4 points for the lowest culpability, 5 to 6 points for medium culpability and 7 to 9 points or a ban for the highest.
What is the punishment for dangerous driving?
In England, Wales and Scotland the maximum is 2 years in prison, with an obligatory disqualification of at least 12 months and a compulsory extended driving test before driving again. In Northern Ireland the maximum on indictment is 5 years.
What is the maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving?
Life imprisonment in England, Wales and Scotland for offences committed from 28 June 2022, with a minimum ban of 5 years. Earlier offences carry a maximum of 14 years. In Northern Ireland the maximum for causing death or grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving is 14 years.
Can I take a course instead of points for careless driving?
Sometimes. The police may offer the Safe and Considerate Driving course, which lasts 6 hours and 55 minutes, but the decision is at the chief officer of police's discretion and there is no automatic right to one. You pay the course provider's fee, which is separate from the £100 fixed penalty. Northern Ireland has its own remedial training course.
How long do I have to report an accident to the police?
In England, Wales and Scotland, if you did not give your name and address at the scene, you must report the accident at a police station or to a constable as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within 24 hours. In Northern Ireland the law requires the report forthwith, with no fixed 24 hour window.
Do I have to stop if I hit a cat?
The duty to stop and report under section 170 covers injury to a person other than the driver and damage to other vehicles and roadside property, plus injury to certain animals: a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog. Cats are not on that list, so section 170 does not apply to hitting a cat alone.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Sources and References
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 2 (dangerous driving)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 2A (meaning of dangerous driving)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 3 (careless and inconsiderate driving)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 3ZA (meaning of careless or inconsiderate driving)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Act 1988, section 170 (duty to stop and report accidents)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Schedule 2 (prosecution and punishment of offences)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, section 34 (disqualification)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, section 36 (disqualification until test is passed)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, Part 5(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Gov.uk: Penalty points (endorsements), endorsement codes(gov.uk).gov
- Gov.uk: New penalties for careless driving come into force (2013)(gov.uk).gov
- UKROEd: National driver offender retraining courses(ukroed.org.uk)
- Sentencing Council: Careless driving guideline(sentencingcouncil.org.uk).gov
- Sentencing Council: Dangerous driving guideline(sentencingcouncil.org.uk).gov
- Sentencing Council: Causing death by dangerous driving guideline(sentencingcouncil.org.uk).gov
- Sentencing Council: Causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving guideline(sentencingcouncil.org.uk).gov
- Transport Scotland: Scottish Safety Camera Programme FAQs (2017)(transport.gov.scot).gov
- Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, Schedule 1(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Department for Infrastructure NI: New careless driving penalty introduced (2023)(infrastructure-ni.gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, Article 175(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Department for Transport: Proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences (consultation)(gov.uk).gov
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, section 54 (fixed penalty notices on the spot)(legislation.gov.uk).gov