Campaigners praise MP over tougher driving offences

Hull East MP Karl Turner has been given Brake and Direct Line’s road safety parliamentarian of the month award for his campaign which led to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke announcing a new charge of “causing serious injury by dangerous driving” earlier this month.

Dangerous driving cases in which no one is killed currently carry a maximum sentence of two years, but the MP introduced a private members’ bill in May calling for this to be raised to seven.

Mr Turner lobbied Ministers on the behalf of constituent Katie Harper, who was hit along with her mother by an overtaking vehicle.

The 23-year-old suffered terrible injuries, meaning she is unlikely to ever walk again and had to spend months in hospital, including multiple breaks to her pelvis, two broken arms, facial injury and serious nerve damage to her leg.

Her mother was left with permanent injuries to her hands.

Her father has had to retire early to provide round the clock care to his family.

Brake campaigns director Julie Townsend said: “Brake welcomes this new offence, which will help provide justice to families whose lives have been ripped apart by dangerous drivers. As a charity that supports bereaved and seriously injured road crash victims, we hear first-hand about the pain and suffering they experience, and repeatedly see these families being grossly let down by the justice system, which only adds to their trauma. We congratulate Karl for his success in playing a key role in bringing about this vital change in the law.”

The MP said: “I am pleased that the government have seen sense and listened to calls for an increase to the sentence for dangerous driving. “The government should be putting the victim at the heart of our judicial system and this change in the dangerous driving law goes some way to doing that.”