Dangerous drivers could face up to five years jail time
Tougher punishments could be dished out for dangerous drivers who cause serious injury under new proposals announced by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.
The maximum prison sentence could be more than doubled, from two years to five, in instances where victims are severely affected but not killed. Those convicted could also face an unlimited fine.
Mr Clarke says longer sentences would go someway to reflect the devastation caused by recklessness behind the wheel and fill the gap between standard dangerous driving charges and the death offence.
“We have listened to the victims of dangerous drivers, their families, MPs, judges and road safety groups and their experiences have directly informed these changes,” he said.
“Making our roads safer is a priority – five people died on our roads each day last year, so we need to do everything we can to further improve safety.”
Offence, not consequence
In 2010, 175 motorists were convicted of causing death by dangerous driving while 1,850 people died on British roads; a offence which carries up to 15 years jail time.
Kevin Clinton, RoSPA’s head of road safety, welcomed the decision saying: “Serious injuries often cause life-long disability for the victims of bad drivers and can fundamentally affect their quality of life and that of their families.
“To ensure this new law works as intended, it will be absolutely crucial to ensure that it is applied consistently in terms of prosecution and sentencing.
“We also believe that the offences of causing death by careless driving and causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs should include causing serious injury.”
IAM spokesperson Vince Yearley said aggressive and careless driving claims at least one life a day and believes the proposal would bring dangerous drivers more in line with those whose actions cause loss of life.
“Dangerous driving can result in anything from near misses to serious injuries,” he said. “But the maximum jail term for dangerous driving must relate to the driving offence – not the consequences, however awful.”
Ellen Booth, Brake’s Senior Campaigns Officer, said the new sentences would bring justice to families whose lives have been dashed by dangerous drivers.
“Brake welcomes this new offence, which will help provide justice to families whose lives have been ripped apart by dangerous drivers,” she commented.
“This finally means that serious injury is recognised in the name of an offence, and this is vitally important to victims and their families.
“It also means dangerous drivers who inflict serious injury can expect to see higher sentences that are more in line with the devastation they have caused, which in some cases includes permanently debilitating injuries that leave people with round the clock care needs.”
Ellen added that she would like to see the maximum sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving upped further still to 14 years, to bring it in line with causing actual death by dangerous driving.
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