Dangerous drivers who cause serious injury could face five years in jail under plans announced by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.
A new offence of “causing serious injury by dangerous driving” would carry more than double the current maximum sentence applicable of two years.
Clarke said: "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.
"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."
Andrew Howard, the AA’s head of road safety, said it would “make sentences more proportionate to the devastation dangerous driving causes and should also deter people from driving badly".
IAM spokesperson Vince Yearley said: "Dangerous driving can result in anything from near misses to serious injuries. But the maximum jail term for dangerous driving must relate to the driving offence - not the consequences, however awful."
The changes will be part of the Government's Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill
I still say that when convicted of dangerous driving you should lose your licence for good - no second chances, get a push bike or use public transport, or someone else to give you a lift. People think they have some sort of given right to be able to drive - they don't - it's a skill you have to learn and some people just mentally aren't up to it.
Not everyone would expect to be able to fly a plane, or captain a ship.
Easiest way to kill someone and get more or less away with it - get drunk, drive dangerously and mow them down . . even better if you say you can't remember a thing afterwards about the crash.
Hell - they ban althletes for life for possible drug use?
Grrrrr it just gets me angry
don't forget that some cops will say speeding is dangerous driving, and if you're unlucky you could get done for dangerous driving if you're just driving fast.
Imagine losing your licence for life, or going to prison, just for speeding!
Besides, proving "dangerous driving" can be extremely difficult, which is why it tends to only be the most severe cases where someone is charged with it. And then only if there is very good evidence such as viable witness accounts, cctv or other video footage or evidence of extremely high speeds.
Speeding on the other hand is obviously as simple as it gets to prove. You were either travelling over the speed limit or you weren't. Hence the reason why so many fixed penalties are issued for speeding compared to other traffic offences.
A new offence of “causing serious injury by dangerous driving” would carry more than double the current maximum sentence applicable of two years
For me it would work IF the max sentences were given out to begin with, however the max sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is 14 years however the AVERAGE prison sentence is 3 years and an estimated 12% last year received NO custodial sentence at all.
What is the point in having something as a deterant if it does not get implemented ???
If an offender gets hauled up before a judge who has suffered personal loss in similar circumstances, I bet he will get a much harsher sentence than one who hasn't.
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