Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of penalties for motorists causing death by car dooring.

A death caused by a collision with a car door can, depending on the circumstances, be classified as one of a number of offences carrying different maximum penalties. While there is a specific offence, under regulation 105 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, to

“open, or cause or permit to be opened, any door of a vehicle on a road so as to injure or endanger any person” which has the maximum penalty of a level 4 fine (£2,500), other possible charges include offences against the person which carry maximum penalties of up to life imprisonment.

The Government is aware of concerns about a number of sentencing issues and intends to start a consultation on sentencing before the end of the calendar year. This would include driving offences and penalties.