Road Traffic (Amendment) (Jax’s Law) Bill 2026

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

Jax’s Law would allow careless or dangerous driving charges to be brought in a more serious court, with higher possible penalties, when the driving causes the loss of a pregnancy, as well as when it causes death or serious injury. It would define a qualifying loss as a pregnancy of at least 23 weeks or a foetus weighing at least 400 grams, and allow the Minister to require statistics on such cases. It would not give an unborn child separate legal status or create an offence of unlawfully killing one.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to amend the Road Traffic Act 1961 (as amended) to provide for the recognition of the loss of a pregnancy as a result of careless or dangerous driving as grounds for proceedings for such offences on indictment, and to provide for related matters.

Last updated 18 September 2026