Prospects of rehabilitation – negative 0 0% Prospects of rehabilitation – not stated 10 20% Assessment of remorse – positive 37 74% Assessment of remorse – negative 4 8% Assessment of remorse – not stated 9 18% Offender seriously injured 26% Pleaded guilty 48 96% Pleaded not guilty 2 4% Discussion of factors Driving behaviour As with culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury, the same pattern of speeding (44%), driving affected by alcohol (40%), and intentional high-risk behaviour (32%) were the most common driving behaviours in cases of dangerous driving causing serious injury. Few cases involved drug-affected drivers (8%) and where drug affected, the two drug types identified (with a single case each) were cannabis and MDMA/ecstasy. Location and vehicles The majority of cases occurred within metropolitan Melbourne (74%). Cases of dangerous driving causing serious injury most commonly involved 1 vehicle (54%) and most offender vehicles were passenger vehicles (66%). Factors relating to victims The majority of cases involved 1 victim (74%) and, unlike the other reference offences, most victims were female (51%). Of the cases where the age of the victim was stated, victims were most commonly adults (36% of the 58% of victims with a stated age). Victims were primarily occupants of another vehicle (37%) closely followed by passengers in the principal vehicle (36%) and then pedestrian/bystanders (21%). A majority of all victims were strangers to the offender (61%) followed by friends of the offender (24%). Victims’ seatbelt status was mentioned by the judge for relatively few charges (16%). Victims were recorded as not wearing a seatbelt for 12% of all charges.
Prospects of rehabilitation – negative 0 0% Prospects of rehabilitation – not stated 10 20% Assessment of remorse – positive 37 74% Assessment of remorse – negative 4 8% Assessment of remorse – not stated 9 18% Offender seriously injured 26% Pleaded guilty 48 96% Pleaded not guilty 2 4% Discussion of factors Driving behaviour As with culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury, the same pattern of speeding (44%), driving affected by alcohol (40%), and intentional high-risk behaviour (32%) were the most common driving behaviours in cases of dangerous driving causing serious injury. Few cases involved drug-affected drivers (8%) and where drug affected, the two drug types identified (with a single case each) were cannabis and MDMA/ecstasy. Location and vehicles The majority of cases occurred within metropolitan Melbourne (74%). Cases of dangerous driving causing serious injury most commonly involved 1 vehicle (54%) and most offender vehicles were passenger vehicles (66%). Factors relating to victims The majority of cases involved 1 victim (74%) and, unlike the other reference offences, most victims were female (51%). Of the cases where the age of the victim was stated, victims were most commonly adults (36% of the 58% of victims with a stated age). Victims were primarily occupants of another vehicle (37%) closely followed by passengers in the principal vehicle (36%) and then pedestrian/bystanders (21%). A majority of all victims were strangers to the offender (61%) followed by friends of the offender (24%). Victims’ seatbelt status was mentioned by the judge for relatively few charges (16%). Victims were recorded as not wearing a seatbelt for 12% of all charges.