§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to review the sentencing procedures for lesser motoring offences resulting in(a) deaths and (b) injury not taken into consideration in sentencing. [18589]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Government have no plans to review sentencing procedure for lower level motoring offences resulting in death and injury. Sentencing procedure in individual cases is a matter for the courts. A range of offences exist to deal with those who commit motoring offences, with severe penalties available for serious offences. For example, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs and causing death by dangerous driving carry maximum penalties of ten years' imprisonment.
The North Report in 1988 considered, but rejected, the creation of a new offence of causing death by careless driving. It concluded that it would be wrong to visit on a driver severe penalties for the tragic consequences of an act which amounted only to carelessness.