- by Trish Whelan
Prison sentences for motor deaths?
22 April 2003: Prison sentences are being mooted for drivers in Britain who cause a death by either falling asleep at the wheel or if they've been using a mobile phone that contributed to the accident.
The guidelines were announced by appeal court judges in response to recommendations made by the UK Sentencing Advisory Panel.
Some existing sentences could be increased by up to 5 years depending on seriousness of the aggravating factor in a law expected to be passed in the summer.
The legislation would ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving, including some hands-free kits that are not wired into car's speaker system, and equipment that plugs into a cigarette lighter or a headset would be outlawed.
The Association of British Drivers (ABD) says such wide-ranging legislation is unnecessary and counterproductive; and will lead to widespread non-compliance.
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