What are my legal responsibilities as a road user?

• It is well established that a duty of care is owed by everyone using the road to every other road user as well as to people and property adjacent to the road.

• If you are driving carelessly on a public road it is reasonably foreseeable that the range of people you are likely to affect may extend to:

• drivers and passengers in and owners of other vehicles;
• pedestrians;
• cyclists;
• people on adjoining footpaths; and
• owners, occupiers of and people inside properties immediately adjacent to the road.

• Even a police driver may owe a duty of care to a person who is being pursued because they are suspected of driving a stolen vehicle as well as to other innocent users of the road.
• As an owner of a vehicle you owe your passengers a duty in respect of the condition of your vehicle as well as the manner in which you drive it.