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Original poster

Passenger causing car crash- what would happen?

66 replies

Cucumber1234 · 22/04/2023 16:22

NC and being vague.

If a passenger in a car, was accussed of causing a car crash. What would happen? I guess they'd be arrested but what would they be arrested for? What could happen and how serious would it be?

OP posts:
Samcro · 22/04/2023 16:24

How can a passenger do that?

BIWI · 22/04/2023 16:25

How would they cause the crash? What would the circumstances be?

BIWI · 22/04/2023 16:25

You really need to give more details before anyone can respond/help!

GettingThereCharleyBear · 22/04/2023 16:25

Easily! Pulling at the steering wheel for one!

Ellmau · 22/04/2023 16:26

How bad was the crash? Was anyone killed or injured, or just damage to the car/outside property?

AgnesX · 22/04/2023 16:31

Is this one where the passenger was giving the driver a b**wjob and he crashed?

Was that an apocryphal story or for real?

MintJulia · 22/04/2023 16:32

Legally the driver is responsible for the safety of car and passengers. If they refuse to wear their seat belt or behave sensibly, the driver should pull over somewhere safe and refuse to move until the problem passenger has got out or agreed to behave.

If they intentionally pounced on a driver with no warning and forced the car into the path of another vehicle for example, I think probably a criminal offence, anything from murder or attempted murder downwards.

Why?

Dishwashy · 22/04/2023 16:33

Depends what they were accused of I guess. Putting on the handbrake on the motorway or shouting at the driver?

I wouldn't imagine it's as simple as someone is accused of something and gets arrested. The police officers would need some level of confidence of what they had done and what laws had been broken to justify making the arrest.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 22/04/2023 16:34

Depends -

Grabbing the wheel / pulling up the handbrake? Definitely pasenger liable I'd have thought.

Passenger without a licence mistakenly telling driver to go at a junction and driver not checking for themselves? Driver's fault.

Passenger intentionally telling driver to go when not safe and driver not checking? 50/50.

Passenger a child having a screaming fit and driver distracted? Driver's fault.

MintJulia · 22/04/2023 16:34

You'd need the circumstances, to prove intent, why the passenger had acted in that way, and any witnesses.

The police can't do anything without evidence.

Aposterhasnoname · 22/04/2023 16:36

Samcro · 22/04/2023 16:24

How can a passenger do that?

By grabbing the gear stick and putting it into neutral while the (learner) driver is travelling at 60mph on a duel carriageway and has no fucking clue why the car is suddenly losing power. Looking at you ExH.

WestOfWestminster · 22/04/2023 16:37

I'd say you'd need pretty solid evidence, and for it to be quite indisputable. If so, then the injured/affected party could sue them and the police could choose to prosecute them.

NerrSnerr · 22/04/2023 16:40

More information is needed of what the passenger did.

PinkFootstool · 22/04/2023 16:41

Well there was a man who pulled up the handbrake of a police car at 70mph while he was in the back seat. He was under arrest and being transported to custody. Killed the police officer, but he survived.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and got a paltry 5.5yrs in custody for it.

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/857651.army-instructor-jailed-causing-policemans-death/

I remember it well as I was a trainee copper at the time and it changed how we transported people in vehicles and how we handcuffed them (to the rear where possible so they couldn't grab things if we had to use a car rather than a van).

Army instructor jailed for causing policeman's death

An ARMY signals expert who supervised the Royal princes during their training has been jailed for killing a policeman.

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/857651.army-instructor-jailed-causing-policemans-death

Original poster
Cucumber1234 · 22/04/2023 19:05

No one injured. Driver was drunk. Hit another vehicle. Driver intends on blaming passenger.

OP posts:
BranchGold · 22/04/2023 19:07

Drunk driver wholly responsible. Was he breathalysed at the scene?

HeidiUpTheMountain · 22/04/2023 19:08

Oh well, that’s simple. Driver is committing an offence even sitting in the driver’s seat with the keys if drunk, so is entirely to blame.

WestOfWestminster · 22/04/2023 19:08

If the driver was drunk I'd say they were on very shakey ground blaming a passenger. What do they say the passenger did?

They shouldn't have been driving in anycase, I really can't see the passenger getting into trouble for this.

booktokbear · 22/04/2023 19:08

Drunk driver has no one else to blame. Hope they're prosecuted.

Nimbostratus100 · 22/04/2023 19:11

Cucumber1234 · 22/04/2023 19:05

No one injured. Driver was drunk. Hit another vehicle. Driver intends on blaming passenger.

well, the passenger was in the car when the driver was drunk, so yes, they are not guilt free, are they

BertieBotts · 22/04/2023 19:12

I would have thought in most cases the driver would be responsible for everything as they are in charge of the car, including being in charge of whether they are distracted by passengers.

Unless the passenger is actively doing something crazy like assaulting the driver or interfering with the controls of the car. But even then, hard to prove I'd assume?

BertieBotts · 22/04/2023 19:13

Nimbostratus100 · 22/04/2023 19:11

well, the passenger was in the car when the driver was drunk, so yes, they are not guilt free, are they

Show quote history

Morally perhaps, but there is no law against being in a car with a drunk driver. Only about being in charge of a car when drunk.

Hellocatshome · 22/04/2023 19:14

In your scenario there would be no proof other than the say so of a drunk driver so nothing would happen. Driver would be charged with drunk driving.

CindersAgain · 22/04/2023 19:15

At a (non expert) guess, in that situation the passenger could get done for something in addition and separately to the driver. It wouldn’t take any liability from the driver though. Driver is responsible for their own actions.

Hellocatshome · 22/04/2023 19:18

CindersAgain · 22/04/2023 19:15

At a (non expert) guess, in that situation the passenger could get done for something in addition and separately to the driver. It wouldn’t take any liability from the driver though. Driver is responsible for their own actions.

I would hope that it takes more than a drunk person accusing you of something to get 'done' for it, otherwise we could all go around getting each other 'done' whenever we felt like it.

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