Drivers who kill could face life sentences

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has launched a consultation into the penalties for dangerous driving, proposing that drivers who kill could in future face life sentences.

Under the proposals, drivers found to have caused death by reckless driving, speeding, street racing, mobile phone use, or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, could be treated similarly to those charged with manslaughter.

“While the UK has one of the best road safety records in the world, deaths or serious injuries on the roads cause devastation to victims and their families, for whom the sentence of the court can never adequately reflect the loss of a loved one,” said justice minister Sam Gyimah, in a foreword to the consultation document.

“The government is committed to ensuring that deaths or serious injuries continue to fall, and that where they are the result of criminal behaviour, the right tools are available to deliver justice.”

The consultation asks respondents to consider whether the current maximum penalty available to judges for causing death by dangerous driving, or by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs, should be increased from the current 14-year imprisonment to a full life sentence.

It also discusses a perceived gap in the law which the MoJ suggests could be addressed by introducing a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving, to better reflect the impact of the severity of such cases on victims’ lives.

The document additionally asks whether a longer minimum period of driving disqualification would be appropriate in scenarios where death results.

Brake, the road safety charity, welcomed the consultation.

“This is a vindication of our efforts, and those of victims’ families, calling for change through our  Roads to Justice campaign,” said Gary Rae, campaigns director for Brake.

“For too long, the justice system has treated them as second class citizens.

“We do remain concerned that the charge of ‘careless’ driving could remain. Some of the strongest feedback we have received from the families we work with is that there is nothing careless about taking someone else’s life.

Rae added: “We also want clarification on whether the current automatic 50 per cent discount, where convicted drivers serve only half their tem in jail, will still apply for these new, proposed sentences.”

Interested parties have until 1 February 2017 to express their views to the MoJ.