Clause 20 - Causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving
Road Safety Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Owen Paterson (Shadow Minister, Transport; North Shropshire, Conservative)
This is a most important point. The hon. Lady would agree that her story shows that there was no carelessness in that case. There was intent to lay a blow, even in self-defence. However, we are talking about drivers who may just be blinded by bright sunlight on a winter’s afternoon while coming round a corner and do not see what is happening; they are blinded in a moment described as careless, but over which they have no control. They have no intention of being careless. In the case that the hon. Lady mentions, the bouncer had a clear intention to defend himself by landing a blow, so there was no carelessness at all, but there was deliberate intent.