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Under the new careless driving laws, which
came into effect from 18 August 2008,
motorists who kill whilst avoidably
distracted at the wheel will face prison.
The new offences will allow courts to
imprison drivers for up to five years who
cause deaths by not paying due care to the
road, or to other road users.
The type of ‘avoidable distractions’
covered by the new law include:
- using a mobile phone (calling or
texting)
- drinking and eating
- applying make-up
- anything else which takes their
attention away from the road and which a
court judges to have been an avoidable
distraction.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick
said:
"The Government is committed to
continually improving safety on Britain's
roads. Under the Road Safety Act we have
already brought in tougher penalties for
drivers who use hand-held mobile phones at
the wheel and the introduction of these
new offences today is the latest step to
tackle bad driving and further improve
safety on our roads.
Last year the number of people killed
fell below 3,000 for the first time since
records began in 1926 but eight people are
still dying on the roads each day. Where
carelessness - or an uninsured,
disqualified or unlicensed driver - causes
a death it is right that the driver should
face tough penalties."
Internet link:
News release |
