Criminal Justice System: Equal Treatment of Deaths and Injuries

Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate Excerpts

Thursday 24th June 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate (Non-Afl) [V]]

[Inaudible]—change of personality with some people behind the wheel; we have seen road rage lead to murder in some cases. Could the noble Lord say whether there has been an increase in motorists driving while using mobile phones, drinking or eating, and, of course, driving while drunk, drugged or disqualified—all of which are against the law and could result in accidents, sometimes fatal? Does he agree that the most effective penalty is to remove their wheels and, if they persist, for the court to deprive them of their liberty?

[Lord Wolfson of Tredegar (Con)]

My Lords, I am afraid I do not have those precise figures to hand, but I will write to the noble Lord with them and place a copy in the Library. So far as bans are concerned, the noble Lord will be aware that, in the table of road traffic offences and penalties, there are discretionary bans towards the bottom end but obligatory bans towards the top end of the scale.