Road crash victims fared particularly badly last week with the Queen’s speech. Sadly once again it appears that savings to drivers are more important than the suffering of crash victims. We lost out on what was omitted as well as what was included.

Omissions included the long awaited sentencing reform. There was no  mention of any legislation to implement the MoJ’s proposed tougher sentences for the worst drivers.  We have waited over 30 months for the proposals and now it seems nothing is to come of them.

Nor was there any mention of a Victims’ Bill. What happened to the Conservative Party manifesto pledge to ’ ensure that victims of crime are supported at every stage of the criminal justice system. We will enshrine victims’ entitlements in law, making it clear what level of service they should expect from the police, courts, and criminal justice system.’

It is great that the Speech included a Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill with a Domestic Violence and Abuse Commissioner. It is wonderful that this Commissioner is to “stand up for victims and survivors, raise public awareness, monitor the response of statutory agencies and local authorities and hold the justice system to account in tackling domestic abuse”.

But there are other crimes and many more victims. With DfT reporting over 700 thousand people injured every year in road crashes (and many millions more intimidated by drivers) don’t the numbers of crash victims justify their own Commissioner as well?

We also welcome the news of an Independent Public Advocate for disaster victims. But what about the 1400-1500 families that go through road death inquests each year? They too would benefit from having a Public Advocate support and represent them at inquests, especially given all road deaths occur on public roads with the state involved in their design,  maintenance and operation.

And what was included in the Bill was legislation which will hurt crash victims–the Civil Liability Bill. This Bill’s purpose is to “ensure fair, transparent and proportionate system of compensation in place for damages paid to genuinely injured personal injury claimants”.

We can’t see any chance of it being any of these—not fair, transparent or proportionate. The £35 per year saving on motor vehicle insurance will not be able to be tracked—nor has it even been agreed by all or even most of the insurance companies.

And how can it be fair or proportionate when the claims of innocent victims will be slashed by much more than £35. There was good reason that victims, cycling and walking campaigners and charities, as well as claimant lawyers have all opposed these reforms.

Once again, we weren’t the right kind of victim and once again crash victims are being sacrificed so that insurance premiums can decrease with insurance companies to reduce compensation. RoadPeace has argued against these cuts and will continue to do so.

Updated on: 29 June 2017