To fight against what they call “road criminals”, MR and N-Va intend to strengthen the punitive arsenal against them. The French-speaking liberals have in fact tabled a bill, which will be debated this Tuesday in the Mobility Committee of the House of Representatives. It follows, in particular, the fight waged by Alfio and Nathalie Sardo since the death of their son on June 10, 2021. That evening, Matthieu, 19, lost his life as a passenger in a car driven by a drunk motorist. Who will ultimately receive a suspended prison sentence and 4 months of license suspension, two of which will be suspended. While awaiting his judgment, the driver was able to get back behind the wheel. “Only fifteen days after the accident, he could calmly get his license back and drive comfortably again, as if nothing had happened,” Alfio told us. Today, a motorist who kills someone is deprived of his license for 15 days, then can get it back and live an almost normal life until the judgment This is not right: we must prevent these drivers from driving again until they have been judged for their actions. . Removal is required license until judgment.”
The long fight of Alfio and Nathalie to honor the memory of their son: “We must deprive the drivers of their license until the judgment”
This call was heard by Benoît Piedboeuf and Sophe Wilmès during the previous legislature. The latter having left for Europe, Benoît Piedboeuf, leader of the MR group in the Chamber, intends to continue the legislative process to the end. His goal? Make the withdrawal of licenses automatic “in the event of road accidents caused by extremely serious offenses resulting in serious injury or death to others, until the moment of the judgment rendered in first instance against the “author of the facts.”
According to Benoît Piedboeuf, these extremely serious facts cause painful ordeals in the lives of many Belgians. “In these very difficult times, the victims still see their suffering increased because of the long delay […] before the author’s appearance in court. […] During this period, […] the driving license is returned to the perpetrator. He or she can therefore get back behind the wheel without any support measures being imposed on them to treat, for example, their dependence on alcohol or other substances. This reality also represents a significant risk for the safety of the population.”
Serious accidents under influence: the MR wants to “systematically” seize the license of road drivers
However, Alfio is aware of this: if a motorist reoffends despite convictions, it is certainly not the judicial withholding of his license which will prevent him from getting his car back. “This is why we must also immobilize the driver’s car with a shoe,” he told us. “Or seize it and impound it. So that these people understand that what they have done is serious, the sanction must be immediate and impactful, otherwise they will continue on and on.”
Alfio Sardo, father of a road victim: “We absolutely must immobilize or seize the drivers’ car to avoid a repeat offense”
A request which seems to have been heard: four N-Va deputies and a Flemish socialist want to force the police judges to order the “confiscation of the vehicle of any driver he condemns for driving despite having been deprived of the right to drive. “
So far, the judge has the possibility. The bill would make it mandatory. “We wish to oblige the police judge, as a general rule, to order the confiscation of the vehicle of any person convicted of the offense of driving despite the loss of the right to drive,” comment the deputies.
A sentence that could also apply if the vehicle belongs to another person. “The judge may (Editor’s note: if the bill is passed) confiscate it when the owner of said vehicle has knowingly entrusted it to the driver deprived of the right to drive.”
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