Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Duties tending to the preservation of life

155: Duty of persons doing dangerous acts

You could also call this:

“If you do something dangerous, even if it's legal, you must be careful and know what you're doing.”

If you decide to do something that could be dangerous to someone’s life, like giving medical treatment or performing surgery, you must be careful and know what you’re doing. This is true even if you’re doing something that’s allowed by law. You need to have the right knowledge and skills, and you need to use them properly. If you don’t do this, and something bad happens because of it, you could be in trouble with the law. The only time this doesn’t apply is in an emergency situation.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329296.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal law

154: Abandoning child under 6, or

“It's against the law to leave a young child alone or in a dangerous place.”

156: Duty of persons in charge of dangerous things, or

“People must be careful with things that could hurt others if not handled safely.”

Part 8 Crimes against the person
Duties tending to the preservation of life

155Duty of persons doing dangerous acts

Every one who undertakes (except in case of necessity) to administer surgical or medical treatment, or to do any other lawful act the doing of which is or may be dangerous to life, is under a legal duty to have and to use reasonable knowledge, skill, and care in doing any such act, and is criminally responsible for the consequences of omitting without lawful excuse to discharge that duty.

Compare

1908 No 32 s 170