Punishment fits the crime

As a road safety and breakdown organisation we have welcomed proposals from the UK Government to bring in much tougher sentence for criminal drivers.

The Government has just begun a consultation to discuss proposals to increase the penalties given to drivers who cause death by careless or dangerous driving.

There is currently a maximum sentence of 14 years, though in 2015 the average custodial sentence for causing death by careless or dangerous driving was under four years.

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The proposed changes could increase the maximum penalty to life imprisonment.

The Government is also consulting on introducing a new offence, causing serious injury by careless driving.

We see how victims’ families are constantly let down when it comes to obtaining justice for their appalling loss.

Although these higher-end driving offenders may not have set out choosing to kill the innocent person who happened to be in their way, we know their actions and decisions were all conscious and deliberate.

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Only a driver chooses the speed of the vehicle he or she is driving.

To choose to drive at an illegal or dangerous speed is a conscious and deliberate act.

We must ensure that punishment fits the crime.

Therefore, if you kill, you should expect a long period of imprisonment, whether your weapon happens to be a gun, a knife or a vehicle.

Neil Worth,

GEM road safety officer,

GEM Motoring Assist,

Station Road,

Forest Row.