CAUSING DEATH BY CARELESS DRIVING

Early day motion 534, tabled 18 January 2005 by Paul Stinchcombe (Labour). Signed by 91 members.

That this House acknowledges all the work done by many honourable Members to persuade the Government to strengthen road safety law; believes that the Transport Committee's recent report, Traffic Law and its Enforcement sheds light on gaps in current law, in particular the absence of an offence of causing death by careless driving; is alarmed that because of this lacuna in the law, when 17-year-old Alexine Melnik was killed by a careless driver, the court was able only to fine that driver and put points on his licence; believes that this valued Alexine's life far too cheaply; recognises that the Road Safety Bill provides a prime opportunity to change the law; and calls upon the Government to support an amendment to the Bill to fill the gap and create an offence of causing death by careless driving.

Signatures by party: Labour 61, Liberal Democrat 17, Labour/Co-operative 6, UUP 3, DUP 2, Conservative 1, Independent 1.