Two-thirds of drivers want to see maximum sentences for those
that cause death by dangerous driving increased, according to new
research by the RAC.*
On the day a Private Members’ Bill to do just that is scheduled
to have its second reading in Parliament, the research carried
out with 2,800 drivers found that a quarter (25%) believe maximum
sentences should be increased to somewhere between 15 years and a
life sentence, from the present maximum of 14 years. But
four-in-10 (40%) think courts should be able to go further and
hand down a life sentence if they deem it appropriate. Just 16%
felt the current maximum term is sufficient, while 18% were
unsure whether it should be changed.
In July former Prime Minister and Home Secretary introduced a Bill seeking to amend The Road Traffic
Offenders Act, which currently dates from 1988, and to increase
courts’ abilities to issue much tougher sentences. The amendment
has come to be known as the ‘Violet-Grace Law’, in memory of a
four-year-old child who was killed by a motorist driving at over
80mph in a 30mph zone in 2017. The driver was jailed for nine
years and four months in 2017 but may be released as early as
next year.
In the year to March 2020, police forces in England and Wales
recorded 555 cases of death or serious injury caused by dangerous
driving.** While this was seven fewer cases than a year earlier,
the general trend since 2008 has been for an increase in cases
across both countries.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “Drivers we
surveyed are crystal clear in their belief that the current
maximum sentence that courts can hand down for causing death by
dangerous driving is insufficient and doesn’t reflect just how
devasting these crimes are.
“While Britain might have some of the safest roads in Europe, it
is an horrendous thought that each year more than 500 drivers in
England and Wales are convicted of killing others as a result of
their decision to drive dangerously. Permitting courts to issue
much tougher sentences will send a strong message to motorists
and will go some way towards reassuring families of victims
killed in collisions that the law is on their side.
“The Government announced its intention to introduce stronger
sentences back in
2017, but sadly since then little progress has been made.
That’s why this Bill is so important – we may still be some way
off the Violet-Grace amendment being made, but many people up and
down the country will be interested to see the progress that it
makes in the hope that one day soon those convicted of these
truly terrible crimes will have to spend much longer behind
bars.”
Scheduled today is the second reading of MP’s ‘Death by Dangerous Driving (Sentencing) Bill
2019-21’, which may be debated in the House of Commons. To track
the progress of the Bill, visit
the Parliament.uk website.
For a larger version of the chart attached, please tap or click here.
Ends
Notes to Editors
* 2,800 drivers surveyed by the RAC in September 2020
** Source: Police recorded crime by offence, year ending March
2003 to year ending March 2020, Table A4 (ONS). Figures for
England and Wales, excluding Greater Manchester Police
