For the offence of dangerous driving causing death in Victoria, a non-custodial sentence should be regarded as exceptional and is not available where the offender's moral culpability is high. A young offender's inexperience as a driver does not reduce moral culpability where the offender chose to drive dangerously; rather, the newly-licensed driver bears an adult responsibility to recognise the risks created by inexperience. General deterrence must be given great weight for this offence even for young offenders, and youth must be given relatively less weight than in other types of cases.
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