27 January 2023
Remain & Report Campaign

As your Member of Parliament, I have the remarkable privilege from time to time to be taken the into confidence of constituents facing challenges.

Last week this was brought home to me starkly when two brave women came to Parliament to tell me of their tragic bereavement.

I cannot discuss details as the case is going to court, but there has been local publicity where a young man was killed walking his dog along a main road and the driver of the vehicle which struck him failed to stop.

His mother and sister and other courageous bereaved families of road traffic victims came to Parliament to promote their campaign. I am also aware of another similar tragedy which also took place last year in the constituency.

In 2021, there were 80 fatalities and 2,132 injuries caused to pedestrians from being struck by vehicles on our roads, where the incident was not reported properly, normally as the vehicle driver failed to stop

I was shocked to learn the scale of these incidents. I saw for myself the impact of such dreadful bereavement on families affected, in addition to the tragic loss of life and impact on the lives of those victims who have been seriously injured.

The Campaign “Remain and Report” is calling for any road traffic collision, where someone has been fatally or seriously injured, to be treated like any other driving offence where reckless behaviour is concerned: that when anyone leaves the scene without reporting an accident, it is defined as a serious criminal act.

At present the existing offence of failing to stop, applies to all severities of collision where a driver fails to stop, a maximum custodial sentence of just six months may apply. The current law, passed in 1988, allows a period of 24 hours to elapse within which reporting of an accident is required. This leaves open an opportunity for drink or drug impaired drivers to avoid roadside testing, therefore potentially escaping more serious charges.

As I have heard from several accounts of those tragically affected by lifelong injury or bereavement – the knowledge that offenders can get straight back behind the wheel as if nothing has happened, leaves victims or their loved ones feeling the perpetrator has made a conscious choice between accident and accountability.

This campaign aims to make sure the justice system holds drivers to account for their actions if they choose to behave irresponsibly by leaving the scene of a crash.

I for one will be supporting my brave constituents with their campaign. I shall do what I can through Parliament to help change the law to hold hit and run drivers to account.