In this episode, we’re examining a dangerous close pass incident that occurred on Sunday, August 11th, 2024.
The incident, involving a white Ford Transit, took place on the A58, Godley Lane in Halifax.
This footage was promptly uploaded to West Yorkshire Police via their Safer Roads Media Submissions portal on the same day, August 11th.
We received an update from West Yorkshire Police by email on Wednesday, August 14th. They confirmed they were tracing the driver to address the offences identified.
The first step in this process is issuing a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP, to the registered keeper of the vehicle. It’s important to remember that receiving a NIP isn’t an automatic prosecution; it’s a formal warning that prosecution may follow. The recipient then has 28 days to provide details of who was driving at the time of the alleged offence. Failing to comply with a NIP is an offence in itself.
In this specific case, the police processed the driver for the offence RT88576: ‘Driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration’. This falls under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Crucially, this offence is considered committed if another road user is inconvenienced by the manner of driving.
This directly relates to The Highway Code, specifically Rule 163, which clearly states: ‘Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so.’ It goes on to say, ‘You should give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders and horse drawn vehicles at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car.’
And for cyclists, the guidance is even more specific: ‘As a guide, leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.’ If you can’t meet these clearances, the rule is simple: ‘You should wait behind… and not overtake.’
So, what was the outcome? The driver was offered an Educational Course. These courses aim to educate drivers, change attitudes, and prevent re-offending. It’s worth noting you can only attend one such course within a three-year period.
The driver had 28 days to book and pay for the course and needed to complete it within 120 days of the offence. While they could have opted for a Conditional Offer of a Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, in this instance, the driver accepted the offer of the educational course, which they attended at their own expense.
This case highlights the importance of reporting dangerous driving and the process that follows.
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