Petition · past parliament

Harsher Penalties For Those Who Cause Death By 'Careless' or 'Dangerous' Driving

Rejected 20 signatures

What the petition asks

Current UK Law means that people who cause death by "careless" or "dangerous" driving often recieve sentences which are less than theft.

The maximum sentence for someone who causes death by careless driving is 5 years in prison, and death by dangerous driving is 14 years; maximums rarely given.
We need harsher sentences for those who cause death whilst driving on the road, as simply by the death occurring during a vehicle collision the driver at fault can escape simply with a fine.
Whilst other factors such as drug use and mobile phone use are often taken into consideration, the perpetrator can recieve less for a theft in the crown court than you can for causing death by careless driving.

Being killed in a car by a driver at fault should be no different than manslaughter.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

Timeline

16 May 2016 Petition opened for signatures
18 May 2016 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 20
Status Rejected
Rejected 18 May 2016

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.