the convicted driver, “road homicide” at the heart of the trial

Can creating a traffic homicide offense change anything? The Paris Criminal Court on Thursday sentenced the driver who killed the son of chef Yannick Alléno to 7 years in prison. The driver was on trial for manslaughter with at least two aggravating circumstances, unintentional injury and violent robbery. Since this tragedy, which occurred in 2022, many voices have been raised to demand the creation of an offense of road homicide.

Make the unintentional nature of the offense disappear

The recognition of road homicide would make a big difference for the families of victims who do not support the use of the term “manslaughter” when alcohol, drugs or even speed come into play.

“We would eliminate the unintentional nature of the offense because when a driver commits a series of voluntary acts: I get behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level exceeding the authorized limit, I drive without a license, more than five times the speed authorized… It is a series of voluntary acts, so when the consequence is the death of men, we cannot say that it is involuntary”, assures Basile Ader, one of the lawyers of the Alléno family.

Up to 10 years of imprisonment for the offense of road homicide

This could also allow for better awareness among drivers. “Drivers must know that it is not impunity, it is not because we have drunk, that we have run a red light, that we should not bear the dramatic consequences when we rolls on the roads,” he continues.

Supporters of the creation of an offense of road homicide hope that with this name, justice will tend to pronounce heavier sentences, closer to the maximum incurred in this type of case, i.e. 10 years of imprisonment. On the legislative side, after a first failure due to the dissolution this summer, this bill has just been tabled again in the National Assembly, a proposal which should be adopted since it has consensus in the ranks of the majority .