Author Topic: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?  (Read 4825 times)

Dyffryn Ardudwy

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2578
There is current discussion, that drivers who take another motorists, or pedestrians life, through downright negligence, such as excessive speed or using a mobile phone whilst driving, may in the near future receive a lengthy prison sentence.
The real serious offenders, such as the recent lorry driver who ploughed into the back of stationary traffic whilst correcting his Sat/Nav, killing several motorists in the process, would get a life term in prison, which amounts to 14yrs.


If the Governments current proposals, get the go ahead, hopefully the use of mobile phones whilst driving may become a thing of the past, because currently there is no deterent harsh enough to deter motorists.


Is this a step to far ? or is it necessary to prevent further carnage on our roads?

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #1 on: 23:52:08, 04/12/16 »
Lock em up and throw away the key.  No exceptions.
 
The biggest problem is policing it.  I doubt life imprisonment would be a deterrent to be honest and once the damage has been done (killed someone) then it's a bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted.  It's a pity "average Joe's" dashboard cam footage can't be used as evidence to prosecute drivers - certainly those who use their phones whilst driving, even if they haven't caused an accident.
 
On a lighter note, I take a great deal of sadistic pleasure watching people [censored] themselves when I'm alongside them at traffic lights and watching them texting... they look up... see me looking at them.... they see the logo on my uniform.... the expression on their faces is priceless  >:D
 
... so think on anyone who does text whilst driving ..... you never know who is watching you  ;)
 
 
PS. the (no doubt) censored word rhymes with spit.

fernman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4526
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #2 on: 08:43:42, 05/12/16 »
Agreed.
I read this weekend of a lorry driver who was sending a message to his girlfriend on Facebook on his mobile phone four seconds before he hit a car in front of him, crushing it against the lorry in front of it.
The two men in the car were killed.
His sentence? Six years. For taking two lives.

I only replied because I feel strongly about it, but I have to ask, what on earth has this got to do with walking? It should have been in the Hikers Bar if anywhere at all.

route2rock

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 627
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #3 on: 19:14:30, 05/12/16 »
  It's a pity "average Joe's" dashboard cam footage can't be used as evidence to prosecute drivers - certainly those who use their phones whilst driving, even if they haven't caused an accident.

If you ever capture an accident or serious offence, I would call 101 and let them know you have footage, as it could be valuable to a police investigation.

I know police can use it in some situations.
Find out what I've been up to @ http://www.instagram.com/route2rock :)

fernman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4526
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #4 on: 19:54:37, 05/12/16 »
Very true. In my road all those of us with cctv cameras on our houses get the police knocking whenever there's been a mugging or stabbing.

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #5 on: 22:06:00, 05/12/16 »
If you ever capture an accident or serious offence, I would call 101 and let them know you have footage, as it could be valuable to a police investigation.

I know police can use it in some situations.

Aye, I thought that would be the case for an actual accident.  Pity that dash-cams can't be used to prevent an accident though cos I think that would be more of a deterrent to stop folks texting whilst driving if they knew they could be prosecuted based on anyone's dash-cam footage.
 

Percy

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1653
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #6 on: 22:20:27, 05/12/16 »
I believe the plan is to bring sentences in line with manslaughter which seems absolutely right to me.

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #7 on: 11:23:59, 06/12/16 »
OK with me,  plus fiddling with radio,  adjusting sat nav,  eating,  drinking, peeing into a Tizer bottle, make up and plucking eyebrows. I've seen them all! Have I forgotten anything?

wintonian

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 264
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #8 on: 21:35:39, 12/12/16 »
...Eating breakfast ceral, Watching TV (possibly whilst having a cuppa) and having nookie.

It seems very few people actually drive whilst behind the wheel these days.

mananddog

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3240
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #9 on: 07:44:05, 13/12/16 »
The number of prosecutions for texting and using a phone while driving has fallen because the police have decided not to prosecute people doing so. People will not stop unless they think they will be caught and brought to account. If they think they can get away with it they will keep on doing it.

tonyk

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2857
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #10 on: 07:45:02, 13/12/16 »
If police stopped wasting time searching through Twitter and Facebook for so-called hate crimes we might get somewhere.They argue that these so-called crimes cause alarm and distress but it could be argued that having someone driving towards you at 50mph on a phone also causes alarm and distress,in fact,a lot of alarm and distress.When we get a proper police force that isn't run by politcally correct idiots we might get somewhere.

Woody

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 107
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #11 on: 09:10:30, 13/12/16 »
If police stopped wasting time searching through Twitter and Facebook for so-called hate crimes we might get somewhere.They argue that these so-called crimes cause alarm and distress but it could be argued that having someone driving towards you at 50mph on a phone also causes alarm and distress,in fact,a lot of alarm and distress.When we get a proper police force that isn't run by politcally correct idiots we might get somewhere.
Agreed however, its somewhere in the region of 40% of all calls to the police are social media "harassment" related. Under NCRS the police have to record and therefore investigate them all, knowing that the vast vast majority of the jobs are utter rubbish.
Traffic matters are mainly categorised as non crime and therefore fall to the bottom of the pile of an ever growing workload because these aren't a KPI for the force.
Traffic departments or roads policing units as they are called, have been seen as the ginger step child for as long as ive been in the police and are continually paired back and / or their work parameters changed, moving them away from actually policing the roads.
I'm no longer on a traffic department but good friends are. They work with just one traffic officer per shift covering a district that used to be 2 separate divisions each of which were covered by 3 traffic officers. So from 6 down to 1. The workload hasn't changed therefore, there is little or no time for pro active policing, to the point where you have to ignore offences you see because the job you are on your way to has a response time which you have to make.
As a traffic officer, all I wanted to do was make the roads in my area safer. All my bosses wanted was for response times to be met.
In relation to the sentencing of drivers involved in fatal collisions, the maximum currently stands at 14 years for death by dangerous driving and death by due care whilst unfit through drink or drugs. These maximums are rarely used.
You can have the maximum sentence increased to whatever you want but if the government guidelines tie the hands of the courts, sentences will not increase.
As for throwing away the key............ there are many serious and fatal collisions which are the result of very minor errors of judgement which have catastrophic results. Hundreds of drivers every day misjudge the speed of vehicles approaching their junction, they pull out and cause the approaching vehicle to swerve or brake hard to avoid a collision. Some result in a collision where only damage is caused to both vehicles. These rarely come to the attention of the police. Every now and again, the chain reaction from this minor error of judgement results in a death. There clearly needs to be a punishment, but throwing away the key? Not all fatal collisions are the result of intentional idiotic driving.

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #12 on: 10:46:11, 13/12/16 »
Hate crimes can be just as bad, if not tackled they will undermine the good things in our society. My personal experience is that since  Brexit many people that I am in contact with have become much bolder, even the N word is on the menu again. For my part I do not want to go back to the times when my hard working Romany family and Irish people were told to "get out of my pub" or refused entry to places because we were judged by some to be different. Hate people exist everywhere, its a fact of life but when I can I will engage them in discussion.

I think there is another very bad car problem to worry about. My wife has a fairly new car and loaded with gadgetry on it, most of which she knows she does not need or want, but its there. I'm sure if drivers fiddle with these control whilst driving (they do because I've seen them at it) this is also just as dangerous as using a mobile phone. I think the car manufacturers should be prosecuted as well for knowingly selling us dangerous cars.

Mind you I think in many areas and cities like mine (Portsmouth) I think the car is the evil monster as well (but still so necessary for day to day life) and it too should be put under further controls, e.g make the things smaller for a start! In our city 4x4 cars are a damn nuisance, our streets are not designed for such overblown lumps of metal! Sorry I should be writing this on the Small Rant thread.

Mumf

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 73
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #13 on: 11:00:54, 22/12/16 »
Whilst I hole heartedly agree with longer sentences for dangerous driving there seems to be a group of people to which the law in such cases acts more leniently . I am referring to those who are shall we say are in the twilight of their driving careers .
Many in this group are not aware that their driving ability / standards have dropped ( as a result of limited use and experience) to a point that in many cases is now seriously impaired or even dangerous .
As we all get older and live longer , many of us don't like to admit that we are not as adept and alert as we used to be . Last night I watched an old guy (80) being almost lifted into the driving seat by his ageing wife . Given the choice between being driven home by him , or an experienced driver on or slightly over the drink drive limit then I would without a moments hesitation choose the latter .
The amount of times I've seen older people oblivious to other road users get away with serious motoring offences is too numerous to mention .
I would like to add , that as an ex policeman myself and someone who is over 50 myself , I would never condone drink driving but similarly I would never condone the lack ability and merits of allowing some elderly motorists on the road who are clearly not up to the standard required .
Thursday's is market day where I live . We like to call it "warfarin awareness day " due to the number of minor shunts and collisions caused by such people but the law seems to casually avoid more stricter punishments for this age group . I was taught to believe that we were all equal in terms of the law .
In reality , in my experience that does not seem to be the case .
A dog will love you for what you are ...and not for the clothes you wear .

DevonDave

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 725
Re: Dangerous Drivers who Kill MAY receive a life sentence ?
« Reply #14 on: 11:25:00, 22/12/16 »
Whilst I hole heartedly agree with longer sentences for dangerous driving there seems to be a group of people to which the law in such cases acts more leniently . I am referring to those who are shall we say are in the twilight of their driving careers .
Many in this group are not aware that their driving ability / standards have dropped ( as a result of limited use and experience) to a point that in many cases is now seriously impaired or even dangerous .
As we all get older and live longer , many of us don't like to admit that we are not as adept and alert as we used to be . Last night I watched an old guy (80) being almost lifted into the driving seat by his ageing wife . Given the choice between being driven home by him , or an experienced driver on or slightly over the drink drive limit then I would without a moments hesitation choose the latter .
The amount of times I've seen older people oblivious to other road users get away with serious motoring offences is too numerous to mention .
I would like to add , that as an ex policeman myself and someone who is over 50 myself , I would never condone drink driving but similarly I would never condone the lack ability and merits of allowing some elderly motorists on the road who are clearly not up to the standard required .
Thursday's is market day where I live . We like to call it "warfarin awareness day " due to the number of minor shunts and collisions caused by such people but the law seems to casually avoid more stricter punishments for this age group . I was taught to believe that we were all equal in terms of the law .
In reality , in my experience that does not seem to be the case .
Whilst I fully agree that there are some older drivers who should not be on the road, the statistics show that it is younger inexperienced drivers who are involved in most accidents.  Most accidents which are caused by older drivers are minor, due to lack of concentration.  However, accidents caused by young people (particularly young males) tend to be more serious as they are more likely to be caused by inappropriate speed and lack of awareness.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy