Cyclists in UK who kill pedestrians could be prosecuted same as motorists

theguardian.com:

Cyclists who kill pedestrians could be prosecuted in the same way as motorists under a proposed government crackdown.

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said the law is needed to “impress on cyclists the real harm they can cause when speed is combined with lack of care”.

It comes four years after the government ran a consultation on proposals for new offences of causing death or serious injury while cycling.

Shapps wrote in the Mail+ that a “selfish minority” of cyclists believe they are “immune” to red lights.

“We need the cycling equivalent of death by dangerous driving to close a gap in the law and impress on cyclists the real harm they can cause when speed is combined with lack of care,” he said.

“For example, traffic lights are there to regulate all traffic. But a selfish minority of cyclists appear to believe that they are somehow immune to red lights.

“We need to crack down on this disregard for road safety. Relatives of victims have waited too long for this straightforward measure.”

Under the 1991 Road Traffic Act, a maximum fine of £1,000 can be issued for careless cycling and £2,500 for dangerous cycling. If bodily harm is caused, cyclists can be prosecuted for wanton and furious driving under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, for which the maximum penalty is two years’ imprisonment.

It is an offence to ride a bicycle on a road or in public if unfit as a result of drink or drugs, under the 1988 Road Traffic Act, which comes with a maximum punishment of £1,000.

But, according to a 2020 report by the parliamentary advisory council for transport safety (Pacts), which uses Department for Transport (DfT) figures, “pedal cyclists and small motorcycles were involved in very few collisions where pedestrians were