Motorway accident sees parent driver charged with dangerous driving offence

On Easter Sunday this year, a 14-year-old boy from Morecambe lost his life in a tragic road accident on the M6 motorway.

At the time of the accident, Ryan Liam Morgan was travelling in the passenger seat of a Peugeot van driven by his father, 31-year-old Daniel Burba of Arnside Crescent, Morecambe.

At around 12:15 pm, the van left the motorway between Junctions 34 and 33 southbound, crashing into a tree. Ryan died at the scene, while Burba was taken to hospital with serious injuries and later discharged.

During the police investigation, it emerged that Burba had no valid driving licence and no insurance. He has now been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, and causing death while unlicenced and uninsured.

Burba appeared at Lancaster Magistrate’s Court on April 28, but gave no indication of plea. The offence is indictable only, meaning it must be tried in a crown court. He will next appear at Preston Crown Court on May 27 for plea and trial preparation.

When a driver faces a charge of causing death by dangerous driving, solicitors experienced in similar cases can give bespoke advice on how to plea, what mitigating factors to present to the court and guidance on possible sentences.

Penalties for causing death by dangerous driving can be severe, with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment. It may be possible in some cases to plead to the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving, which attracts lower sentences. In any event, it is essential to get advice from qualified solicitors.