A WHARFEDALE MP has told Parliament that the justice system is failing victims of dangerous driving.
Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) outlined his case for changes to the law in the House of Commons this week.
The Criminal Driving (Justice for Victims) Bill, which he presented as a Ten Minute Rule Bill, seeks to:
*Toughen penalties linked to serious criminal driving offences that cause serious injury or death
*Redefine those offences and amend bail conditions
*Improve standards of investigation by the police and in the courts.
It is being backed by road safety charity Brake and the family of Jamie Still, an Otley teenager who was killed by a speeding, drunk driver in December, 2010.
Mr Mulholland said: "In 2014-15, 389 people were killed in England and Wales alone due to dangerous driving.
"In too many of those cases victims of those serious crimes and their families have been badly let down.
"I have had two awful cases in my constituency: that of 16-year-old Jamie Still, killed by a reckless criminal driver on New Year’s Eve in 2010, and that of David and Dorothy Metcalf from Cookridge, who were killed in January, 2012.
"We need changes throughout the system - from investigations through to prosecutions, sentencing and to the very charges themselves - to give justice to families who suffer from these awful crimes, and to deter people from behaving so recklessly behind the wheel."
Jamie sister, Rebecca Still, said: "After many years of hard campaigning for these changes, and in that time seeing so many further tragic cases, I am pleased Greg has managed to get this Bill into the Commons and hopefully now we can see some real changes."
Their mother, Karen Strong, added: "It is great that Greg has managed to take Rebecca's campaign so far.
"It is about time families get the treatment and justice they deserve when they are faced with such a traumatic situation.
"I just hope the Government listen and make these changes."
The Bill calls for an end to the 'false and unhelpful' distinction between careless and dangerous driving, suggesting both offences be replaced by one with a variety of sentencing categories.
It also outlines the need for an automatic driving ban to be added to the bail conditions for those who are charged, before their case is heard.
Mr Mulholland said: "In the case of Jamie Still, the perpetrator of that crime was driving for nine months (afterwards) in...the very town where he killed Jamie."
The MP met the Secretary of State for Justice, Michael Gove, on Monday to discuss the Bill, which will receive a second reading on Friday, March 11.
Mr Gove is to introduce a consultation on proposed changes to the law later this year, with a final decision due in 2017.