Four years for killer driver on a mobile.

[spindrift]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7270751.stm


Gratuitous insertion of helmet comment obligatory.

I never, ever understand how driving bans run concurrent with a
custodial sentence- YOU CAN'T DRIVE IN PRISON!!!

A motorist who was texting on her mobile phone when she hit and killed
a cyclist has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Jordan Wickington, 19, died from head injuries when he went through a
red light and was struck by Kiera Coultas' car in Southampton in
February 2007.

Coultas had earlier been found guilty at Southampton Crown Court of
causing death by dangerous driving.

The 25-year-old from Hythe, Hampshire, was banned from driving for
five years.

Following the crash, Mr Wickington, of Netley, Hampshire, who had not
been wearing a helmet, was taken to Southampton General Hospital where
he later died.

Sgt Alison West, of Hampshire Constabulary, recommended drivers
switched off their mobile phones during journeys.

"It's pretty routine nowadays at the scene of these serious or fatal
accidents to seize drivers' mobile phones, and to have them analysed
to see if the phone has had anything to do with the driving standards
involved," she said.
"In this particular incident, it transpired from a phone analysis that
there was phone use close to the time of the incident."

 

[Elmer Fudd]

A motorist who was texting on her mobile phone when she hit and killed
a cyclist....................

Jordan Wickington, 19, died from head injuries when he went through a
red light and was struck by Kiera Coultas' car in Southampton in
February 2007.

? ? ?
I don't quite see the point ? Agree about the helmet though, although if you're going to jump lights........

 

[Yorkshireman]

? ? ?
I don't quite see the point ? Agree about the helmet though, although if you're going to jump lights........

I suppose that one point is "Don't jump red lights - especially on a bicycle". Another might be "Dont text/phone while driving (at speed)"

 

[Bad Company]

I know I'm setting myself to be shot at here but does anybody else think that 4 years is bit ott??

I'm not defending her, a jail sentance was definately appropriate - but 4 years??

 

[piedwagtail91]

I know I'm setting myself to be shot at here but does anybody else think that 4 years is bit ott??

I'm not defending her, a jail sentance was definately appropriate - but 4 years??

my thoughtrs as well
had she not been texting and driving she may still not have been able to avoid hitting and killing him.
it's only 50% her fault at worst.
i'm not trying to defend her as most motorists deserve all they get, but so do red light jumpers, it's russian roulette. you will be killed eventually.
is a few seconds worth it?
maybe motorists and cyclists should learn from this.

 

[snorri]

The fact that the car was approaching at a speed one and a half times the speed limit probably affected the judgement of the cyclist. Even the speed limit, is just a legal limit and may have little bearing on the safe speed, 30mph through traffic lights could be quite fast in many places.
Although rlj is wrong, the high speed of the car must skew some of the blame from cyclist to driver so I would not agree with the 50/50 blame.

 

[ChrisKH]

No, it's justified IMO. She was also doing 45 in a 30. Had she been doing 30, the outcome could have been quite different. Had she also been looking she may have been able to avoid him.

Would your view have differed if it had been a 25 year old male? Women usually get treated far more leniently as a gender. It is time this inequality was corrected. She will only serve a proportion of that sentence in any event.

 

[piedwagtail91]

The fact that the car was approaching at a speed one and a half times the speed limit probably affected the judgement of the cyclist. Even the speed limit, is just a legal limit and may have little bearing on the safe speed, 30mph through traffic lights could be quite fast in many places.
Although rlj is wrong, the high speed of the car must skew some of the blame from cyclist to driver so I would not agree with the 50/50 blame.

i made the mistake of reading the first post, thinking it was a direct quote, and NOT the link , so now after reading the link i would agree it's not 50 50 blame.
i won't edit the previous post as it will make nonsense of subsequent ones
will have to read the links in future

 

[Danny]

If she was actually texting at the time of the accident, she deserves more than 4 years. How can you possibly be alert to what is going on around you if you are trying to drive and text at the same time.

If it wasn't for the fact that the cyclist was apparently RLJing, I'd say she should get life.

 

[Bad Company]

Four years seems like an awfully long sentance. The way I see it this woman is unlikely to re-commit so the purpose of the sentance is to send out a message to other drivers. Fair enough but most would shoot themselves at the thought of a 1 year sentance - never mind 4.

IMO people use phonestext etc., because they do not think they will get caught and they do not think an accident can happen to them.

The solution IMO is more traffic police not longer sentances.

 

[spindrift]

4 years seems trivial for taking a life through being recklessly stupid. Driving at a lethal speed is bad enough, breaking the speed limit whilst sending stupid texts about sandwiches is beyond belief.


Ten years would have been fairer.

 

[Cush]

I can see the point about the driving ban, That should start after a person has done their jail sentence.

 

[Bad Company]

4 years seems trivial for taking a life through being recklessly stupid. Driving at a lethal speed is bad enough, breaking the speed limit whilst sending stupid texts about sandwiches is beyond belief.


Ten years would have been fairer.

Our prisons are already bursting at the seams. I know this lady has done something very bad but I really can't see that she is a threat to anybody.

Are you advocating 10 years as retribution or as a detterent?

 

[snorri]

but I really can't see that she is a threat to anybody.

Speeding and texting is not a threat to other road users???

 

[Bad Company]

Speeding and texting is not a threat to other road users???

Yes of course that is a real and terrible threat - but seriously is she likely to re - offend? Particuarly as she has a 5 year driving ban.