OTLEY'S MP is calling for cases of criminal driving to stop being treated as accidents.

Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) is demanding the change as he continues to press for an overhaul of sentencing for motorists whose actions cause death or serious injury.

The MP - Brake’s Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Year in 2015 - has been campaigning for years to get the system changed.

He has been spurred on by the tragic death of some of his constituents including, in Otley, 16 year old Jamie Still who was killed by a drunk driver in 2010.

Mr Mulholland and other campaigners, including Jamie's family, had hoped to see new measures to tackle criminal driving included in this year's Queen's speech but they failed to materialise.

The Ministry of Justice, meanwhile, launched a review into criminal driving offences and penalties back in May, 2014 - but as yet no update has been given.

Mr Mulholland raised the issue in the House of Commons once more last week.

He told the House: "Too often the victims of criminal driving and their families are not actually treated as victims of crime, but told that they have been involved in an accident.

"How can that culture be changed, and will the Minister tell the House when, finally, we will get the review of sentencing for these types of offences?"

Justice Minister Dr Philip Lee MP, responding, said: "I agree that victims in such situations need more protection and that the culture needs to change."

Speaking afterwards, Mr Mulholland added: "Every incident of criminal driving must be treated seriously and to call it an ‘accident’ undermines that, as well as the fault of the offending driver.

"Families need to have faith in our judicial system.

"We need a change in culture that treats every criminal driving incident seriously, and I hope the minister will work to achieve this.

"We must also see an update regarding the review into criminal driving offences and penalties.

"It has now been nearly two and a half years since it was launched, and it hasn’t reported or given any update."

Mr Mulholland presented the Criminal Driving (Justice for Victims) Bill, which proposes a list of changes to the current system, in Parliament earlier this year.