Careless driving is an offence that can be easily committed as you may have driven recklessly without realising that you have caused inconvenience to other road users. In order to avoid from receiving a careless driving offence, Ascent Lawyers advise that you comply with all the traffic rules and regulations. If you are charged with a traffic offence, please do not hesitate to contact our experienced traffic lawyers to assist you with your matter.
What is careless driving?
Careless driving is defined as driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other people using that road or place.
When will I be charged with careless driving?
Generally, the police will issue a careless driving charge if they feel that you are at fault. Please note that you may be charged with careless driving although there was no accident or damages involved. The test to prove careless driving is whether a driver had carefully driven a motor vehicle in a way where he/she had reasonable consideration of other road users.
What penalties will be incurred for a careless driving charge?
Although careless driving may be seen as a less serious offence than dangerous driving, it still falls within the category of a criminal offence that attracts a fine or disqualification of a driver licence. The maximum penalty for this charge is 40 penalty units and/or a 6-months imprisonment.
Does careless driving charge attract any demerit point?
The Queensland Transport will issue 3 demerit points for those who are convicted with careless driving offence. The demerit points are usually deemed to have been occurred at the time of the incident not the time at which the accused was convicted.
Will my driver licence be disqualified?
This will depend on the circumstances leading to a careless driving charge. If it appears that you have a bad traffic history, someone was injured or serious damage was done to the vehicle, the court may disqualify your driver licence.
Do I need to hire a lawyer if I am charged with careless driving?
It is highly recommended that you seek legal advice if you were previously convicted with a traffic offence or you have caused serious damage or injuries to the other road users and their vehicles.
If your job is dependent on your ability to drive and losing your driver licence would place you and your family in hardship, hiring a lawyer to deal with your offence can be critical.
Therefore, we advice that you seek professional legal advice from our experienced traffic lawyers at the early stage of your case.
