As of Monday, 18th August careless drivers who cause the death of another person will be held more accountable for their actions. The minor offence of Careless Driving, the same offence which applied if they had hit a tree, can now be replaced with a much more serious offence.

When someone dies as a result of the carelessness of another driver, the death has to be central to the charge. For far too many years, families and friends of victims had to watch and listen helplessly as the ones who caused the death of their loved ones got off with a light penalty and were allowed to continue driving.

The deaths of their loved ones caused by those offences were not even mentioned or recorded. The new charge, Causing Death by Careless Driving, not only mentions the death, but it also can be heard in the Crown Court, with the possibility, in some cases, of incurring a custodial sentence. The new charge also carries a driving ban of 12 months.

Careless drivers should be taken off the road and then the message may just get through to reckless drivers that there is a real possibilty that they will be banned from driving and forced to retake the driving test.

Fines are all well and good, but once paid they are forgotten about. Take away their right to drive and they are reminded every day.

The new Sentencing Guidelines can be found at -

Sentencing Guidelines