A BACKBENCH politician has received unanimous support for her proposal to create a specific traffic offence in the wake of the hit-and-run collision which caused the deaths of Dean and Charlie Lowe.
Failing to stop and report an accident and to provide assistance to injured people following a serious or fatal injury will now be an additional offence within the Road Traffic Law after politicians voted by 47-0 in favour of a proposition by Deputy Catherine Curtis.
The St Helier Central representative said that she had personal reasons for introducing the proposition, having worked with Dean Lowe, who died in August 2023 when he was hit by a drunk driver as he was walking along a road in Grouville with his 11-year-old son.
Dylan Pounds was jailed for 15 years by the Royal Court in December after being found guilty of causing the death of the two victims by dangerous driving. The court had been told that Pounds had consumed nine pints of lager and had been driving at more than twice the speed limit at the time of the fatal collision, and that he did not stop at the scene but continued driving.
Deputy Curtis said Mr Lowe was “a big character with plenty more to offer”, describing the “callousness and carelessness” of Pounds as “inexcusable” and that there had been extensive support from Islanders for her proposal.
Allowing a driver to return to driving risked a repeat offence, she said, with a potential lifetime ban acting as a serious deterrent.
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said he supported the proposition after working with Deputy Curtis, adding that he “completely understood” her thinking.
Doing nothing would not be an appropriate option for Jersey given the Island’s poor record on road safety, he said.
It was explained to Members that sentencing would remain a matter for the courts.
