30 years for killing a child while texting and driving

[NMNeil]

Opinions please, not just on the length of the sentence, but could the UK and EU courts start to follow the lead as a warning to others?
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jun/18/f...

[peterperkins]

I don't think the threat of such long sentences would change behaviour here as people simply think it won't be them.
But it would mean a few selfish idiots would be in prison for a very long time.

[greygoose]

I don’t think sentences in America have much influence on UK or European courts. This sentence is relatively short compared to another Florida judge, Ellen “maximum” Morphonios who sentenced a robber to 1,197 years.

[GliderRider]

Applying the severity of the punishment to the outcome as opposed to the action, simply places the fate of the defendant in the hands of Lady Luck. Its not justice, its revenge.
Much harsher fines for the action are required (or significant amounts of community service for whom a fine has little meaning), not severe punishment of the few for whom the holes in the cheese just happen to line up.

Edited by GliderRider on Tuesday 20th June 15:58

[V8covin]

He wasn't just typing a quick text,he was googling something and was driving at 80 mph !
The sooner using a phone whilst driving becomes as antisocial as drink driving the better

[Dingu]

Death by x driving offences are woefully under sentenced in the U.K.

30 is probably a little high for the U.K. compared to other sentences but it should certainly be close to manslaughter.

[Solocle]

GliderRider said:

Applying the severity of the punishment to the outcome as opposed to the action, simply places the fate of the defendant in the hands of Lady Luck. Its not justice, its revenge.
Much harsher fines for the action are required (or significant amounts of community service for whom a fine has little meaning), not severe punishment of the few for whom the holes in the cheese just happen to line up.

Edited by GliderRider on Tuesday 20th June 15:58

If you punch someone, that's a minor assault.

If you punch someone, they fall and crack their skull open, that's manslaughter.

[Ari]

V8covin said:

He wasn't just typing a quick text,he was googling something and was driving at 80 mph !
The sooner using a phone whilst driving becomes as antisocial as drink driving the better

Absolutely 100% this! At least a drunk driver is generally looking out of the window and making an attempt to steer in the right direction!

I can't believe this isn't stamped on harder, every time you see a car wandering about in and out of lane, when you pass it they're usually looking down, almost certainly at their phone.

[Muzzer79]

Solocle said:

GliderRider said:

Applying the severity of the punishment to the outcome as opposed to the action, simply places the fate of the defendant in the hands of Lady Luck. Its not justice, its revenge.
Much harsher fines for the action are required (or significant amounts of community service for whom a fine has little meaning), not severe punishment of the few for whom the holes in the cheese just happen to line up.

Edited by GliderRider on Tuesday 20th June 15:58

If you punch someone, that's a minor assault.

If you punch someone, they fall and crack their skull open, that's manslaughter.

So, to try and stop people from punching someone, is it better to increase the punishment for manslaughter or for minor assault?

Logic dictates it's for minor assault.

[Ice_blue_tvr]

I can't believe the amount of people I see driving and texting. Especially in slow moving traffic.

There needs to be a deterrent.

[Saleen836]

Ice_blue_tvr said:

I can't believe the amount of people I see driving and texting. Especially in slow moving traffic.

There needs to be a deterrent.

There is - 6 points and £200 fine but they could double the fine and replace the points with a 30 day driving ban but I very much doubt the number of people I see on a daily basis blatantly on their phone or looking down at their lap will not change

[Solocle]

Muzzer79 said:

So, to try and stop people from punching someone, is it better to increase the punishment for manslaughter or for minor assault?

Logic dictates it's for minor assault.

There's a difference between increasing the punishment and matching them.

Years in prison for a bit of fisticuffs would be disproportionate.

A community order for killing someone by punching them would cause outrage.

[Ice_blue_tvr]

Saleen836 said:

There is - 6 points and £200 fine but they could double the fine and replace the points with a 30 day driving ban but I very much doubt the number of people I see on a daily basis blatantly on their phone or looking down at their lap will not change

You're right. The issue is there needs to be actual enforcement. Theres a very real fear of straying a few mph above the limit, wandering into a bus lane or over staying your parking. But imo, texting and and driving is up there with drinking and driving.