Car Insurance
New measures for insurance offenders
Thu, 03 Nov 2005
Tough new offences to deal with careless and uninsured drivers were announced by the government this week.
Criminal Justice minister, Fiona Mactaggart, confirmed that the amendments would be made to the government's Road Safety Bill.
A penalty of up to five years' imprisonment will be introduced for motorists who cause death because of careless driving.
Two years' imprisonment will be imposed on those who cause death when driving without car insurance or a license.
"All too often, families who have lost loved ones because of a careless driver have seen the offender getting no more than a fine. That does not reflect the serious impact of the driving on their lives," said Ms Mactaggart.
"That's why the government is proposing these new offences with tough penalties to deal with bad driving.
"I believe they strike the right balance between the level of criminal fault on the part of the bad driver and the devastation that their actions can cause."
Other newly introduced measures will include defining careless driving as statute to ensure that those charged of manslaughter do not escape the justice system altogether.
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