When irresponsible cyclists who injure or, on rare occasions, kill pedestrians can only be prosecuted under a law dating back to 1861 designed to deter the reckless handling of horse-drawn carriages, then evidently updated legislation is required.
The government has proposed to amend the Criminal Justice Bill, which begins its report stage today, in order to include cyclists under the same legal framework as motorists, so they face far harsher penalties for causing death or serious injury by “dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling.” This is a sensible measure, impressing on cyclists the responsibilities they share as road users.
It is an obvious anomaly that, currently, the authorities have to resort to the small print of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 to prosecute cyclists
