Motorists who kill while using a mobile phone will face prison under new laws to come into force next week.
Ministers said on Friday that the new careless driving laws would fill a gap in current legislation, under which drivers who kill can walk away from court with a £5,000 fine and points on their licence. Under the new laws, careless or distracted drivers could be given a custodial sentence of up to five years.
The penalties will apply to motorists driving while they were "avoidably distracted" by, for example, using a mobile phone, drinking or eating at the wheel, adjusting a car stereo or applying make-up.
According to the Ministry of Justice, 150 motorists will be jailed every year under the "death by careless" offence. A separate offence penalising unlicensed, disqualified drivers or those without insurance also comes into force on Monday, carrying a maximum two-year custodial sentence. Ministers said they expected about five drivers to be jailed for the "uninsured" offence.
Road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick said that the number of people killed on the roads fell below 3,000 last year, but that eight people still die on the roads every day. Driving requires full concentration at all times. A moment's distraction can make the difference between life and death.
"Where carelessness - or an uninsured, disqualified or unlicensed driver - causes a death, it is right that the driver should face tough penalties," he said.
I could not agree more. It is about time zero tolerance was shown to drivers deliberately doing something behind the wheel they should not and those who blatantly flout the law by not even bothering to get their car taxed MOT’d nor insured.
Jackie Violet – Female First