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New driving laws to improve road safety
November 10 2011
The Government has announced a significant change to the legislation around dangerous driving. Drivers who seriously injure others are now at risk of receiving much longer jail sentences.
The Ministry of Justice put forward the change in October and the move has created the offence of "causing serious injury by dangerous driving" which will carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. If a person causes death by dangerous driving the maximum sentence is currently 14 years.
The new offence will be included in the Government's Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.
The Government has stressed that, in the majority of cases involving dangerous driving, the current maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment will still provide the courts with "sufficient and proportionate powers" to punish such offenders.
"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." Kenneth Clarke, Justice Secretary commented.
Road safety campaigners welcome the move.
Ellen Booth, senior campaigns officer of the charity Brake, said: "This new offence finally means that serious injury is recognised within the title of the offence, and this recognition is vitally important to victims and their families. It also means that dangerous drivers who inflict serious injuries can expect to see higher sentences to better reflect the terrible trauma and injuries they have caused."
Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA, said: "These law changes should make sentences more proportionate to the devastation dangerous driving causes and should also deter people from driving badly."