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Consultation on categories of killer crashes
Page 19
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THE GOVERNMENT IS to revamp the categorisation of road traffic offences in a bid to crack down on killer drivers.
New offences of causing death by careless driving and death resulting from illegal [disqualified or unlicensed] driving will carry a maximum sentence of five years' jail.
There will also be a requirement for courts to take serious injuries into account when sentencing, and an alternative verdict of guilty for statutory offences will he available to courts when the offence of man slaughter is not proved.
Launching a consultation on the issue, Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland says: "We need to ensure that the criminal law plays an effective role in protecting road users and pedestrians and that the justice system is on the side of the victim. Our proposals today... seek to strike the right balance between the level of criminal culpability on the part of the bad or illegal driver and the devastation that their action may cause.
Brigitte Chaudhry, founder of RoadPeace, welcomes the consultation: "We have been calling for many years for an end to using minor traffic charges in response to culpable road deaths and injuries. But our long wait for action will require that the laws that will finally replace the inappropriate summary charges bring justice and serve as a deterrent."
The response deadline is 6 May.
• The UK is in the midst of a speeding epidemic, with 55% of drivers breaking speed limits on a daily basis, according to the RAC. Its RAC Report on Motori, 2005 reveals the number of drive speeding regularly is up alma 10"/o on a year ago. Overall,57°/o drivers admitted to breaking ti motorway speed limit and almo two-thirds break the 30mph limi RAC spokesman Philip Ha says: "Enough people to fill : commercial holiday jets die eve year on Britain's roads. Inclividu motorists know these risks, y choose to ignore them —drivers a speeding undeterred on all typ• of road, at all times of day."