Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

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Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby adrian » Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:30 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hamp ... 270751.stm

Plenty to chew on in this one. Thoughts?
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby Ivor » Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:36 pm

[quote]died from head injuries when he went through a red light and was struck by Kiera Coultas' car

yup lots to chew on there.
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby Andrew G » Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:03 pm

[quote]"However, it will hopefully help to deter drivers who continue to flout the law by using their mobile phones while driving.

"The answer is quite simple - don't use your mobile phone and drive.

Fair comment - speeding and sending a text is asking for trouble...[quote]"Nothing is so important that it can't wait until you stop or arrive safely at your destination."

...but so is riding through red lights.

I'm sorry the person was kiled but if you run red lights at junctions then it's going to happen sooner rather than later.
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby adrian » Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:12 pm

The deterrent factor of this sentence is severely compromised by the fact that the cyclist went through a red light. That's the point of this story that will resonate most strongly with motorists.

They'll think, "Yes, she was speeding and texting, but everything would have been fine if the cyclist hadn't jumped the lights."
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby mrP(Boonen)VT » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:06 pm

Interestingly, she pleaded "not guilty" but to what?

Clearly she was

A texting
B speeding
C killed him
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby -Adam- » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm

[quote="mrP(Boonen)VT"]Interestingly, she pleaded "not guilty" but to what?

Clearly she was

A texting
B speeding
C killed him


To manslaughter perhaps? Without wishing to side with the driver too much, if I was her I would feel a little peturbed at the fact she's been 'done' for killing a cyclist who was clearly in the wrong also.
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby Mike I » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:48 pm

"Miss Coultas had earlier been found guilty at Southampton Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving."
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Re: Texting driver who killed cyclist is jailed

Postby adrian » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:54 pm

[quote="Mike I"]"Miss Coultas had earlier been found guilty at Southampton Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving."

So by pleading not guilty to that, does she mean to say that she thinks it's safe to speed and text? Weird

I agree that the sentence feels harsh, and that on the face of it, she could count herself pretty unlucky - first to hit the cyclist, and then to get sent down for four years.

But, as it was reported elsewhere...

[quote]The hotel manageress had already been fined three times for speeding, twice on the same road leading to the junction in Southampton where the accident happened.

Had it been the first time, I doubt she would have got a prison sentence at all.

The fact that the cyclist increased the chances of this happening to him greatly by jumping the light, doesn't alter the effect on his family. Even so, I'm surprised they went through the whole 'impact statement' thing - the idea of which is to inform the sentence meted out to the defendant - as if the boy had been killed in a random, unprovoked attack.
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