Mobile Distraction - Ban the Killer Habit

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11 November 2016 | Updated 01 January 1970

Brake, the road safety charity, is calling for urgent changes to criminal driving laws after a lorry driver was jailed for killing a mum and three children when he crashed because he was looking at his mobile phone.

Tomasz Kroker was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Reading Crown Court. He was scrolling through music on his phone when his lorry smashed into a stationary car. 45-year-old Tracey Houghton and her two sons Ethan, 13, and Joshua, aged 11, all died. Tracey's partner's daughter Aimee Goldsmith, aged 11, was also killed. Aimee's dad and brother witnessed the crash, as they were travelling in a car behind.

The judge in the case said Kroker hadn't been paying attention for around a kilometre and that his attention was so poor he 'might as well have had his eyes closed'.

Brake is already calling for a full review of charging, sentencing and guidelines with its Roads to Justice campaign. The charity also wants to see hands-free calls banned and restrictions on the use of in-car-app enabling screens.

Gary Rae, campaigns director, said: "There could be no more shocking example of why using a mobile phone behind the wheel is so dangerous. This was no ‘accident’ but four lives violently ended by a criminal driver who wasn't looking at the road. A 10-year sentence, of which he will probably serve just five, doesn’t begin to do justice to the grieving families. We need action from the government now; prison sentences for criminal drivers who kill must be strengthened. We need increased penalties for illegal phone use behind the wheel and hands-free calls must also be banned. We also need more investment in road traffic policing, so drivers breaking mobile-phone laws know they will be caught and punished."

Picture: Driving whilst using a mobile device - evens hands-free - should be banned according to Brake

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 11 November 2016

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