U.K. Could See Stiffer Distracted-Driving Sentences

U.K. motorists who cause a fatality while using their cell phones will face a maximum life prison sentence under legislation being introduced by the government.

Justice Minister Dominic Raab says life sentences also will be introduced for those who cause death by dangerous driving, and for careless drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs.

The legislation sets sentences equivalent to manslaughter, with maximum penalties raised from 14 years. Sentencing remains a matter for the judges, a government statement says, with decisions based on the facts of each case.

Raab says the government has taken a hard look at driving sentences.

“Based on the seriousness of the worst cases, the anguish of the victims’ families and maximum penalties for other serious offenses such as manslaughter, we intend to introduce life sentences of imprisonment for those who wreck lives by driving dangerously, drunk or high on drugs,” he says in a statement.

“We will introduce a new offense of causing serious injury by careless driving, punishable by imprisonment, to fill a gap in the law and reflect the seriousness of some of the injuries suffered by victims in this category of case.”

The government sought views on whether current maximum penalties available to the courts should be increased, and it received more than 9,000 responses.

Some 90% of respondents agreed there should be a new offense of causing serious injury by careless driving. They noted that without a specific offense reflecting the harm caused, offenders only could be convicted of a careless-driving offense punishable only by a fine.

As well, 70% of respondents agreed the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving should be increased to life imprisonment.

Last year, 157 people were sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving in the U.K., with another 32 convicted of causing death by careless driving while under the influence.

Neil Greig, director-policy and research for IAM RoadSmart, says the road-safety advocacy group welcomes the government action but doubts the threat of jail alone will make people drive in a less dangerous way.

“However, we feel that visible policing, and a high likelihood of being caught, is the surest way of making people drive better,” he says in a statement. “If people don’t think they will be caught, they simply won’t drive in a safer way.”