Dad of teenager killed in crash near Northampton backs calls for manslaughter charges after some fatal collisions

A Northampton dad whose daughter died in a car accident near Northampton is backing calls for drivers who cause deaths to be charged with manslaughter.

Chris Taylor is the father of 18-year-old Beccy Taylor, who died in a 2008 car crash when she lost control of her car and hit another vehicle on the A508 just outside Northampton.

Although he does not blame the woman whose car Beccy collided with - and an inquest did not find her at fault - his knowledge of tragic accidents since becoming a safety campaigner has led him to agree with a Chron campaign that states the law is too lenient after fatal crashes.

He said: “The Crown Prosecution Service is more likely to go for death by dangerous driving – or even death by careless because they are more likely to get a guilty verdict.

“But I don’t know why we treat road deaths any differently from other accidental deaths. Manslaughter still means that you didn’t mean to do it. There needs to be consequences for people

who cause road deaths. This is not punishing people but changing their perceptions.

“We see death and serious injuries as the cost of mobility and I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

In Northamptonshire, 19 people died on our roads in 2014, rising to 32 last year.

A service of remembrance for the families of road traffic victims took place at Holy Sepulchre Church in Sheep Street, at which Chris made a speech.

He said afterwards that there are many aspects of road deaths law that need overhauling, including the fact the Health and Safety Executive refuse to look at such cases, even where local authorities could have done more.

He said: “What frustrates me is the cause of Beccy's death was a blocked drain and that is not treated as corporate manslaughter."

But he emphasised that he had no vengeful feelings.

“The woman driver who Beccy crashed into, I don’t want her to suffer. The only thing I want, I will never get.”