Call for Re-Test for Young Drivers who Break the Law During First Driving Year

An Eighteen year old motorist who pleaded guilty to the charge of Causing Death by Careless Driving has been given a 12 month, 200-hour community order and an 18 month driving ban, followed by a compulsory re-test.

Lee Cahill, a college student from Wareham, Dorset, was sentenced on Thurs 12 January after pleading guilty to causing the death of prominent cyclist Rob Jefferies.

Rob Jefferies was killed while out on a training ride with a friend on 26 May 2011 close to his home in Swanage, Dorset. Driver Cahill, who was 17 years old at the time of the collision, had passed his test in January 2011 and was convicted of a speeding offence in April. Rob leaves a wife Jane, step-son and daughter.

The court heard that Cahill had been driving along the A351 close to the Purbeck roundabout when his car struck Mr Jefferies’ bike. The driver in the car in front of Cahill’s during the incident, Mr Brown said: “Mr Jefferies was cycling inside the white line on the road.

Mr Brown said the Clio seemed to be in line with the cyclists.

“I was expecting the car to pull out to overtake them, but it did not.”

Speaking for the defendant, Robert Grey told the court that Cahill “…should have slowed down or stopped. Perhaps a more experienced driver would have done.

Speaking after the sentencing Rob's widow Jane said: "Any sentence given would not have brought Rob back. I can see no benefit to society of sending Mr Cahill to prison, however, I do feel that the law urgently needs to change to counteract a 'Top Gear' culture which glamourises speed to young drivers without adequately pointing out its repercussions.

Mrs Jefferies continued: "The fact that Mr Cahill had been fined for doing 67mph in a 50mph zone only months before Rob's death should have given the authorities a clear warning of his competence to drive. Anyone breaking the law during their first year of driving should be made, at their own expense, to take their test again. Graduated driving licences should also apply for young drivers with parents doing more to ensure their child is ready to drive before allowing them behind the wheel.

"At 18 years of age Mr Cahill has yet to feel the full force of what he has done, I suspect it wont be until he becomes a father himself that the impact of what has happened will truly hit him. I sincerely hope he now acts responsibly and leads a full life, encouraging his friends and those around him to learn from his experiences."

Penny Knight from Leigh Day & Co who is representing Rob's widow Jane, said:

"The warning signs were there that this young, inexperienced driver was perhaps over confident and content to disregard the rules of the road, his own safety and that of other road users.

"Young drivers like Mr Cahill need to realise that they aren't very good drivers. We would call on the Government to bring in re-testing for those breaking the law within a year of passing their test, which would need to be paid for by those breaking the law. Not only to save the lives of those they hit, but also to save their own lives.”

Responding to the leniency of Cahill’s sentence, British Cycling Chief Executive Ian Drake said:

“Rob’s case is a tragic example of why we need policy makers to work with us on the issue of cycle safety. From the facts of the case it is clear that Rob was a totally innocent victim of a young and inexperienced driver who had already been in trouble with the police for his bad driving.”

Drake continued, “It does not appear to British Cycling that the sentencing in this case sends the right signal to drivers, particularly young drivers, whose actions can have such tragic consequences for cyclists.

Ian Austin, MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group and a BC member said: “This is a tragic case of a great cyclist and family man being killed by a young and inexperienced driver. We need the government to look at the issues around cases like these including appropriate sentencing tariffs and ensuring that driver training and education is designed to prevent tragedies like this in the future”