Drivers who kill are to be given tougher sentences that could result in a maximum 14 years in prison, following the publication of new guidance to judges and magistrates by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.

The council says that the new guidelines, which also cover the use of mobile phones while driving, sends a clear message to judges and magistrates that driving offences resulting in death are serious offences and should receive appropriate sentences.

Lengthy custodial sentences are recommended by the Council for cases involving prolonged, persistent and deliberate bad driving or where drivers are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

guidelines state that reading or composing text messages over a period of time whilst at the wheel will be likely to result in an offence being in the higher level of seriousness and offenders should serve up to seven years in prison.

The new advice says that if an offender was distracted by a hand-held mobile phone when the offence was committed the offence will be treated as ‘particularly serious’.

The guidelines state that reading or composing text messages over a period of time whilst at the wheel will be likely to result in an offence being in the higher level of seriousness and offenders should serve up to seven years in prison.

Judges and magistrates are advised they will need to assess how bad the driving was and the degree of danger that it created in deciding the level of seriousness for careless driving offences.

Dangerous driving - particularly if accompanied by aggravating factors, failing to stop or a very bad driving record - should attract sentences towards the maximum of 14 years.

The Council recommends that where death follows careless driving, a custodial sentence of up to three years is likely, with higher sentences where there is a combination of aggravating factors.

Hang on so failing to stop is given 14 years yet causing death only 3? Surely it should be the other way round?

I welcome new measures but instead of prison, why not more lengthy bans from driving and in severe cases like death, total ban for the rest of the miserable persons life.

FemaleFirst Motoring Jackie Violet