This study was commissioned by the Sentencing Advisory Panel (SAP) as part of the process of consultation relating to its advice on the sentencing of two existing offences of causing death by driving, and two new offences created by the Road Safety Act 2006. The offences were: Causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving (hereafter ‘Careless’); Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink (hereafter ‘Careless-Drunk’); Causing death by dangerous driving (hereafter ‘Dangerous’); Causing death by driving: unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured driver (hereafter ‘Illegal’). The main aims of the study were to assess public perceptions of seriousness of the four offences, to examine sentencing preference and to explore views on mitigating and aggravating factors. The study involved a survey of a representative sample of 1,031 adults in England and Wales, twelve focus groups of the general public and 11 in-depth interviews with people who had lost close relatives as a result of the driving offences under scrutiny. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting