Motorists to be given lifetime driving ban for road offences as new rules get approved

The legislation includes maximum penalties of a lifetime driving disqualification for drivers who have been convicted of the offence.

The proposition, which was approved by all 47 members present, aims to address a gap in the current road traffic law by specifically requiring drivers to assist injured persons, something not currently mandated under the 1956 Road Traffic Law.

Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk

Deputy Catherine Curtis, who brought forward the proposition, explained that it was "principally about safety and justice" rather than punishment.

Curtis emphasised that driving "is not a right, it is a privilege" with motorists who cannot drive responsibly "not permitted to do so".

She told ministers: "I think we would all recognise that it would be a basic human response to assist a person who had just been injured in a collision, whether by calling 999, by giving first aid, or by flagging down help, and that this should be included in the law."

Curtis emphasised that a lifetime driving ban "acts as a form of justice, particularly for the victims and their families" and sends a clear message that those causing harm through negligence cannot escape consequences.

"No family or close friends of a victim of a serious road traffic collision should have to see the perpetrator driving a vehicle at a future date," she stated.

The Deputy of St. Helier Central compared road offences to other violent crimes, explaining that if a person killed another by shooting them, even "if entirely accidental but then walked away leaving that person to die, we would not give them back another gun licence."

The Infrastructure Minister, Andy Jehan, expressed support for the proposition, stating it aligned with Jersey's collision and casualty reduction plan, which seeks a 50 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the island's roads over the next decade.

The Minister also committed to writing to the Bailiff's Chief Justice requesting a review of sentencing guidelines alongside the legislative work.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Motorists face £500 penalties for breaking Highway Code rules with offenders 'willing to risk safety'
• Major car brand 'fully open' to share technology with rivals to make electric vehicles cheaper
• Labour introduces new parking payment app across impacting millions of drivers - 'No extra costs'

He noted that while rehabilitation should always be an option, there would still be cases "where rehabilitation isn't evident or where a crime is so appalling that a lifetime ban is appropriate."

"The easy choice is to do nothing, but that is not an option for Jersey with our record of road safety," Jehan told the Assembly.

Other members of the assembly also praised Curtis for bringing the proposition forward "in the right way and in a constructive way."

The proposition forms part of Jersey's wider efforts to improve road safety, including its "vision zero" philosophy that originated in Sweden, based on the principle that no loss of life or serious injury on the road is acceptable.

In the UK, drivers who fail to stop and report accidents can receive between five and 10 penalty points, fines of up to £5,000 and, in more serious cases, prison sentences.

KSP Solicitors shared: "Where an accident has taken place and either damage or personal injury has been caused, then the vehicle driver is required to remain at the scene of the accident and to provide their name and address.

"Additionally, they also need to provide the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle. This may be if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds."