😢 Road Traffic (Unlicensed Drivers)
Commons Chamber
A new bill, named after 14-year-old Harry Parker, was introduced in Parliament to address the injustice faced by his family after he was tragically killed by an unlicensed driver. The current law failed to hold the driver accountable, prompting the proposed legislation to classify driving without a valid license as careless driving. The bill aims to prevent similar tragedies and ensure that unlicensed drivers face legal consequences. The Harry Parker Bill has been scheduled for its second reading on June 13.
Summary
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Harry Parker Bill: Will Stone introduced a new bill named after Harry Parker, a 14-year-old boy killed by an unlicensed driver.
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Tragic Incident: Harry was fatally struck by a car outside his school on November 25, 2022. The driver, unlicensed and uninsured, did not stop and faced no charges due to current legal limitations.
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Current Law’s Shortcomings: Stone criticized the existing laws that allowed the charges against the driver to be dropped, highlighting that driving without a license should automatically be considered careless or dangerous.
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Purpose of the Bill: The proposed legislation aims to change the law so that an unlicensed driver who has never held a valid driving license and causes a death by driving will be guilty of careless driving under the Road Traffic Act 1988.
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Support and Next Steps: The House agreed to the motion, and the Bill is set for a second reading on June 13. Stone urged the Government to incorporate the bill into their road safety strategy to prevent future tragedies.
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Condolences and Call for Action: Stone expressed condolences to Harry’s family and called for the House to honor Harry’s memory by taking concrete steps to make roads safer for everyone.
Divisiveness
The session transcript provided shows a complete lack of disagreement. Will Stone introduces the Harry Parker Bill with a moving speech detailing the tragic event that led to the proposal of the bill. The motion for leave to bring in the bill is agreed to without any dissent noted in the transcript. There are no instances of disagreement, debate, or opposing views presented in the session. The entire process from the introduction of the bill to its first reading is conducted smoothly and unanimously. Given the absence of any form of disagreement, the session earns a rating of 1 on a scale from 1 to 5 for disagreement displayed.