New laws re killing people with cars.

[quixoticgeek]

Looks like some movement on the tougher rules about killing people with cars.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54141729

Dunno if it will actually make any difference, but hey.

J

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's a bad approach. Locking people up for life as a result of something they've done unintentionally will just be more waste of life. It won't reduce the number of deaths as it's acting after the fact on something no one intended. It's just headlines pandering to revenge-lust.

What would be more effective IMO is to close the loopholes currently exploited, such as "I can't be banned because I've got to get to work/take my mum to hospital/etc". Make the 12 points an automatic ban, just a matter of accountancy(!) with no plea, probably increase the points for speeding and similar, and most of all, increase enforcement both by cameras and on-the-road police officers.

[ian]

Indeed, too late. Interventions have to be earlier and for the minor offences. I don't think anyone gets in their car with the intent of killing or injurying someone, but they drive in ways in which means that is an increasingly likely outcome. It simply means that there needs to a be sufficiently likely expectation of being caught and punished for the minor stuff like speeding.

[tatanab]

It is still a maximum penalty.  How often has the current maximum of 14 years been applied?  I believe the highest has been 10 years  (an article I read a few years ago).

[sg37409]

It's a bad approach. Locking people up for life as a result of something they've done unintentionally will just be more waste of life. It won't reduce the number of deaths as it's acting after the fact on something no one intended. It's just headlines pandering to revenge-lust.

What would be more effective IMO is to close the loopholes currently exploited, such as "I can't be banned because I've got to get to work/take my mum to hospital/etc". Make the 12 points an automatic ban, just a matter of accountancy(!) with no plea, probably increase the points for speeding and similar, and most of all, increase enforcement both by cameras and on-the-road police officers.

Well put but sadly not likely.

[LMT]

I doubt it'll be life in the literal sense. I'm all for it, driving is a privilege.

[fd3]

While you should get proper sentencing for killing people
* punishment does not work as a deterrent (as sated upthread, it's better to act earlier in the points gathering phase)
* if you do lock everyone up you will need to pay for it through higher taxes

[Duckfoot1606]

Personally I think there is much more preventative benefit in punishing any type of poor on the road behaviour by whichever user group using existing laws, before anyone is killed. I doubt there is the will to resource this approach, though.

A