Drivers who kill while using their mobile phones should be given tougher and more consistent penalties according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Top 10 Causes of Distracted Driving
The IAM has analysed eleven recent prosecutions for causing death by dangerous driving which involved mobile and smartphone use and found that the average sentence for the offence is four-and-a-half years in prison and a seven-year driving ban.
The cases which were analysed included one six in which a vehicle drove into the back of stationary or slow-moving traffic, three in which a car drifted across the road and hit another vehicle head-on and two which involved the death of a pedestrian.
The chief executive of the IAM, Simon Best, said: "The maximum sentence available to the courts is fourteen years, so there is still scope for an even stronger road safety message that drivers who kill whilst distracted on their phones will be caught and jailed for a long time.
"The lesson here is obvious: never use your phone while driving. Whether you have a hands free kit or use loudspeaker, it doesn't matter. Using your phone in any capacity reduces your attention from the task at hand -- driving."
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