The word “dangerous” refers to elevated risk of either

• injury to any person
• or of serious damage to property

What is considered driving dangerously?

If you are driving in a way that a competent and careful driver WOULD NOT, or if it would be obvious to a careful and competent driver that driving in that way would be DANGEROUS, then you are driving dangerously. This includes speeding!

Also, if you are driving a vehicle that any careful and competent driver would realise is dangerous, and that includes not only the vehicle itself, but also items carried by the vehicle or attached to it, then you are driving dangerously.

Circumstances also come into play – if a careful and competent driver realises that the situation requires more careful driving, and you don’t adjust your driving to suit, then you might be driving dangerously.

If you drive dangerously on the road, the penalty is:

• A fine of TT$10,000, 5 years imprisonment and loss of your licence for AT LEAST a year.
• 3rd offence – you lose your licence permanently

If you kill someone on the road by driving dangerously, the penalty is:

• 15 years imprisonment

Any police officer can arrest you without a warrant for dangerous driving, if:

• you refuse to give your name and address
• or if the officer has reason to believe that the name or address so given is false
• or if the motor vehicle does not bear an identification plate.

You can also be arrested and convicted for not driving with DUE CARE AND ATTENTION, or without REASONABLE CONSIDERATION for other persons using the road,. The penalties here are:

• A fine of TT$1,000 and suspended licence for whatever period the judge says
• 2nd offence – suspension of licence of AT LEAST 1 month.

Disclaimer

The materials available at this web site are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.