The provisions contained in the Act are designed to improve road safety and help achieve casualty reduction targets.

The Act creates a new criminal offence of causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving.

This offence was introduced because of public concern about deaths on the roads and the minimal sentence allowed under the law as it was before the introduction of the Act.

The Act also increased the penalty for use of a hand-held mobile phone or similar device.

Section 26 provides for an obligatory endorsement (with disqualification at the court's discretion) for the offence.