Revived Road Safety Bill: A New Offense for 'Road Homicide'
MEPs adopt a new criminal classification termed 'fatal motor vehicles offenses'
New York, NY - The long-delayed proposal for a new driving offense related to homicides, initially put forth in January 2024, has picked up steam in parliament once again. This controversial bill, championed by Eric Pauget (Alpes-Maritimes, The Republicans) and Anne Brugnera (former Macronist deputy of the Rhône), gained the support of the government, as evidenced by its approval by deputies with 194 votes in favor and 6 against.
As Pauget stated on Tuesday, the new law aims to provide a "better legal qualification and semantics" to better judge those responsible for accidents resulting in death or injury involving motor vehicles. The proposed legislation lists several aggravating circumstances that will help move away from the traditional "involuntary" versus "voluntary" binary in the context of such incidents.
But why is this change so crucial, according to Pauget and other advocates of the bill? He argued that when someone "voluntarily consumes alcohol or drugs" and "voluntarily participates in an urban joyride," the label of "involuntary" response from the legal system seems "unacceptable" for the victims and their families.
While deputy Beatrice Piron (Yvelines, Horizons) considered the modification primarily symbolic, she also noted the importance of symbols. "But symbols are essential," she defended.
Another aspect of the bill would make it a crime to exceed the speed limit by at least 50 km/h, aiming to penalize the infraction directly without having to wait for a possible recidivism. Penalties would include three months of imprisonment and a fine of €3,750, along with additional penalties like license suspension.
If enacted, a medical examination for perpetrators would become mandatory within 72 hours (unless their condition is incompatible) to evaluate their fitness to drive following a road homicide or injury incident.
The bill now moves to the Senate, with Pauget hopeful that it will pass unmodified, effectively enacting the law.
While a specific "road homicide" offense might not be requested by judges or lawyers, as some critics argue, it seems that supporters of the legislation believe it will help reconcile the public with the judicial system, which may view the current legal qualification as displaying an excessive degree of leniency towards the authors of fatal accidents.
This revised Road Safety Bill, making its way through parliament, proposes a new offense for 'road homicide', seeking to address the controversy surrounding fatal motor vehicle incidents with a focus on 'policy-and-legislation'. The bill also includes tougher penalties for speeding, which could lead to increased scrutiny in 'crime-and-justice' circles, as the focus shifts from the traditional 'involuntary' versus 'voluntary' binary to a more nuanced approach, taking into account factors such as drug use and urban joyrides.
