Motorist Jailed for Sending SMS While Driving

A British motorist who was sending a text message while driving her car has been sentenced to four years in prison after she was involved in a fatal accident. Although the cyclist rode through a red traffic light, the court found that Kiera Coultas was speeding and not paying sufficient attention to the other road traffic.

Miss Coultas had earlier been found guilty at Southampton Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving.

"The serious part of your conduct was that you were sending a text on your mobile phone having just received one," said Judge Jeremy Burford, "It occurred at precisely the worst time because you failed to see the cyclist who was crossing the road, having gone through the red light. Travelling as you were at 45mph you hit him and he suffered injuries from which he later died."

Sergeant Alyson West, of the Roads Death Investigation Team at Hampshire police said "Today's sentence will not bring back Jordan Wickington. However, it will hopefully help to deter drivers who continue to flout the law by using their mobile phones while driving."

"The sentence sends out the message to drivers who use their mobile phones while driving that, if they are involved in a serious crash, they stand a high chance of being sent to prison."

Posted to the site on 3rd March 2008