Gareth Johnson MP welcomes changes to punishment for Dangerous Driving
Date: Fri 7th October 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gareth Johnson MP welcomes changes to punishment for Dangerous Driving
Today the Government announced plans for a new crime of causing serious injury by dangerous driving that will carry a maximum sentence of five years. Currently, most people jailed for dangerous driving receive sentences of less than two years. The proposed new offence has been designed to fill a gap between standard dangerous driving charges and the death offence that are currently used.
Gareth Johnson MP has previously raised the issue of sentencing in the case of dangerous driving in Parliament and has taken part in a Westminster Hall debate on this issue. Gareth said “I welcome the amendment and the impact it will have on the maximum sentence available to Judges in cases of dangerous driving. Currently the most a Judge can give the worst kind of offender is two years imprisonment. This is in my opinion wholly inadequate. Even when the most outrageous acts of dangerous driving take place and an innocent person ends up with horrific injuries, Judges cannot at the moment give a sentence that reflects the nature of the offence. This needs to change.”
The new offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving will be introduced as an amendment to the government's Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.
In the past five years twenty eight people have died on the roads of Dartford and a further two hundred and twenty eight have been injured. Whilst not all of these incidents will be due to dangerous driving, the figures highlight how many people are affected by road accidents in our local area.
ENDS
For further information please contact Gareth Johnson on 02027 219 7047 or at [email protected]
The Westminster Hall debate Gareth Johnson contributes to can be viewed in full at: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2011-06-22b.134.0&s=speaker%3A24803#g136.0
Gareth Johnson has also raised a question with the Secretary of State for Transport on this issue: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2011-07-05c.63288.h&s=speaker%3A24803#g63288.q0
Back to Press Articles
