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What a tragic case

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anotheoldgit | 10:51 Tue 20th Oct 2009 | News
17 Answers
http://www.dailymail....r-bought-present.html

What a tragic case, Yes I know that this young driver was guilty of killing his two young friends, and he deserves the sentence he received, but eh! he has got to live for the rest of his life, knowing that in some way he was also responsible for his Fathers death.

At least two questions must be asked regarding this case:

1/ Should drivers that are convicted of causing a death be banned for life from driving?

2/ Should not the Driving Test include the capability of driving in the dark?
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Just read the letters under the article, think the one about having a restriction on power like bike riders is very good. Like the one about JG as well.
Yes, and yes.

I'm not sure if the principle still applies, but when I learned to drive almost forty years ago, the notion of the Driving test was to prove that you were 'capable of continuning to learn without supervision' which doesn't square with being able to roar off down the M6 ten minutes after you pass your test.

As with so many other areas of our culture, the notion of responsibility is not included in learning to drive - if it were, this kind of incident would be less common.

The additional tragedy of the driver's father's death is heart-breaking, for all concerned.
it's tragic.. how must that kid feel now? I have little sympathy for him. I believe that boy/girl racers just carry on until something like this happens.

we had a similar case here in St Albans recently. a young girl who was drunk, someone tried to take her car keys from her and she said, "my car, my rules" and promptly killed 2 of her girlfriends. shocking.
It would be difficult to implement night driving tests.

2/ Currently some insurance companies are offering lower premiums to young drivers who agree not to drive between 8pm and 6am (think those are the right times) We should probably consider not allowing newly qualified drivers from driving then for a year or two

I'm not sure what life driving bans in such cases are attempting to achieve - I don't think there's any deterrent there - especially when such cases are cobined with prison (or in this case detention cases). Are we suggesting that he will still be incapable of driving sensibly when he is in his 50s? I think not.

It's not even that effective - it only applies to this country
Sara...do you think the girls who died had a responsibility to not get into the car?

1/ No

2/ Yes and I think the age should be raised.
I don't know ummmm.. probably, yes. but they'd been at a party and were probably all drunk. I guess they'd been out hundreds of times with their fun friend who was lucky enough to have a car.

my daughter is 15. this is another talk I'll need to have with her :o/

(btw, my daughter doesn't drink!)
Yet...!
My daughter is 17 and I wouldn't dream of giving her driving lessons. Far too young.
1. No. Depends on the circumstances. A ban and re-take the driving test.

2. No. When you pass the driving test it means you have only attained the minimum standard. You are expected to become more proficient through practice. There is no motorway driving on the test. No adverse conditions and no nightime driving.

Another question:

Should everyone have to retake there test every 10 years (every 5 years for over 65s)?
I think Gromit you would certainly solve the unemployment issue.

Half the country would become driving examiners!

Besides this guy was obviously able to behave himself long enough to pass a test not long before - I dare sy he could do so again.

Some counties are taking the problem seriously - my 16 year old son is going to a "safe drivers" course next week organised through schools and put on by Northamptonshire Police
Young people are high risk for insurance companies why not have a limt on the size of engine in their car.
I haven't heard about that Jake...I'm in Northants.
I think young drivers shold have to wait 6 months, and THEN take a further test, before being allowed to own a car, or drive one.

I think they should also be made to watch a hour long program of scenes at car crashes, showing the poice and fire brigade cutting bodies out of cars, plus interviews with people who thought it cool not to wear a seat belt, until their face went though the windscreen..

Too many young drivers think once they have passed their test they are invincible and can drive like maniacs round the local streets and nothing will ever happen to them.

Often a crash is what wakes them up to the fact they are NOT invincible.
>I think young drivers should have to wait 6 months, and THEN take a further test, before being allowed to own a car, or drive one.

Sorry, meant to say 6 months after passing their first test they take a second test.
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1) No, 2) very difficult to implement.

It's the impetuous know it all attitude of youth, I guess we all had it, It's just that most of us managed to avoid tragedy, I can see why the insurers want a fortune to insure the kids today. I would suggest approaching the problem in a similar way to the motorcycle laws, ie for youngsters it's a multi stage process with training at every stage. For example if you are under 21 you can only drive a low powered (group 0) car for 2 years. just ideas not specifics. The car makers would soon churn out Group 0 cars. Bit like the bike rule where they can only ride a 125 up to N bhp, initially. There is direct access for older people.
1. Not in all cases...needs to be decided on a case by case basis. Someone falling asleep at the wheel after taking flu remedy may be a complete once in a lifetime thing...but then you have the boy racers. So I don't think it should be an automatic lifetime ban.

2. In principle this is a good idea. A few months after I passed my test, I drove me and some mates to Gatwick Airport for a night flight, and the whole experience was absolutely terrifying. If there were 'night tests', then there would have to be a night driving skills portion of your lessons.

I say 'in principle' - the problem is how would that work in practice...during the summer months when it doesn't get dark until 9pm, it may be difficult to find enough driving instructors willing to work late...and may be difficult for the trainees to make lessons that late.

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