The family of a 20-year-old killed in a hit and run by a disqualified driver out of jail on licence, has spoken of the impact it’s had on their lives to the MPs at Parliament.
Amy Cooper was left to die by the side of the road by driver Shane Kelk after he’d knocked her off her motorbike in November 2022.
Amy’s mum Amanda and sister Sam Pointon were supported by the charity RoadPeace, and have joined its campaign for road crimes to be treated more seriously.
Both were invited to attend the House of Commons on Wendesday (15) as the charity launched a guide for MPs to support constituents affected by road deaths and serious injuries.
“It was very well attended,” said Amanda. “As well as RoadPeace members there were representatives of other organisations such as Cruse and the Police force, and a constant stream of MPs in and out as business in the House allowed.
“MP Sarah Coombs (who organised the event) started procedures with a speech describing how she had been moved by road deaths in her constituency and had come to realise that there is not enough support for families navigating the convoluted justice system.
“She spoke about a new Road Safety strategy that the government is supposed to be putting together but nobody seems to know when it will come to fruition or how far reaching it will be.
“Then members spoke about matters such as hit and run, progressive licensing, lifetime disqualification, and Sam and I spoke about the Probation Service and how road crime needs to be treated as real crime.”
Amanda and Sam are currently waiting on a report from the Inspectorate of Probation Services on proposed changes to the service, which is due to be presented to the government in November.
A Serious Further Offence (SFO) report commissioned by the probation office into the circumstances of Amy’s death, says responsible officers knew Kelk, who was jailed for six years, was driving without a licence and he should have been recalled to prison.
“We managed to speak to quite a few MPs and hopefully gained support for driving through any recommendations that the Inspectorate of Probation Services will be making in their forthcoming report,” said Amanda.
South Holland MP Sir John Hayes was among those that witnessed her and Sam’s speech.
“It was a very good event with a number of families who had loved ones killed on the roads wanting to highlight that problem and call for more to be done,” he said. “It’s pushed the perpetual and tragic problem of people losing their lives to dangerous drivers up the agenda.”
“I think there are several things that need to be looked at, the first being the message of road safety and that there needs to be greater consequences for drivers who take a life through their own actions.
“We should toughen sentences and pursue perpetrators with more vigour.
“One of the things I’m keen to look at is that there is currently no distinction between drug and drink driving.
“You can’t take drugs legally like you can alcohol so why is there even a legal limit?
“We need safer roads and tougher penalties that reflect the damage this causes to whole families.
“As Amy’s killer was a disqualified driver I have already taken it up with the Secretary of State that we look at how people who are disqualified from driving are not behind a wheel during that.
“I will be raising it again.”
