Skip to main content

Tough new laws for bad driving in the UK

Tough new laws are to be introduced in the UK for drivers. New regulations will mean that drivers who cause road fatalities while using their mobile phones will face a life sentence in jail. At present, the most serious driving offences can result in a 14 year jail sentence in the UK. However the new laws will see the maximum life sentence being imposed instead. The aim is to send a message to drivers that bad driving is unacceptable. In 2018, 122 people in the UK were sentenced for causing death by
June 28, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Tough new laws are to be introduced in the UK for drivers. New regulations will mean that drivers who cause road fatalities while using their mobile phones will face a life sentence in jail.

At present, the most serious driving offences can result in a 14 year jail sentence in the UK. However the new laws will see the maximum life sentence being imposed instead.

The aim is to send a message to drivers that bad driving is unacceptable. In 2018, 122 people in the UK were sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving. A further 21 were sentenced for causing road fatalities while driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

In addition, a new driving offence is planned. This will be ‘causing serious injury by careless driving’ with a maximum three year jail term.

Factors that are classed as dangerous driving include using a mobile phone at the wheel, speeding or racing.

Related Content

  • Tougher sentencing required for serious driving offences
    July 13, 2012
    The average sentence for causing death by dangerous driving in the UK is just four years – 62 per cent shorter than for manslaughter, according to road safety charity the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists). While the average sentence length of manslaughter is 6.6 years, those sentenced to prison for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving are given an average sentence of 1.3 years. Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs has an average sentence of 4.3 years
  • Questions over effect of tough sentences for driving offenders
    June 17, 2014
    A UK academic claims that research shows higher prison sentences are unlikely to deter death by driving offences. University of Leicester professor Sally Kyd Cunningham suggests new laws from the UK Government could fail as a deterrent to crimes committed while driving. In the wake of the Government’s recent announcement of a comprehensive review of driving offences and penalties, an academic from the University of Leicester has argued that higher prison sentences could fail to act as a deterrent against de
  • Cracking down on drug driving
    April 16, 2012
    New laws being established in the UK will crack down on those driving under the influence of illegal drugs. A panel of experts has been appointed by the UK Government to investigate the various issues involved. Existing laws in the UK have been described as inadequate to address the issue, prompting this move. There is a large body of research showing that illegal drug use presents a serious problem to road safety in the UK and other nations. Studies show links between drug use, criminal activity, varying v
  • UK traffic offence convictions increase
    May 10, 2018
    Official UK Government figures reveal that convictions for traffic offences in England and Wales have been steadily increasing since 2013. Of concern is that there has been a 52% increase in convictions for dangerous driving in that period. There were guilty verdicts for 1.2 million traffic offences in 2006, according to an analysis of the data by IAM RoadSmart. The number of guilty verdicts for traffic offences then declined for seven years until 2014 when the total number of offences started rising again