Consultation on tougher penalties for hit-and-runs

The sister of a hit-and-run victim said a consultation on tougher penalties for drivers was a "massive achievement" and a "huge step forward".

Ryan Saltern was killed in a hit-and-run in St Teath, Cornwall, in 2019. Wayne Shilling admitted failing to stop and failing to report an accident and was given a four-month suspended sentence.

Ryan's sister, Leanne Saltern, said: "I remember saying to mum and dad that Ryan's life story cannot end with that verdict."

The Department for Transport said failing to report a road incident was "completely unacceptable" and it was "considering tougher actions".

On Wednesday, the UK government launched the first major road safety strategy in over a decade, aimed at lowering the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on the roads.

Part of the new strategy would be a consultation on widening sentencing laws for hit-and-run offences, following a campaign for Ryan's Law launched by the Saltern family.

The Salterns said they wanted to see tougher penalties and stricter sentencing.

Mark Saltern, Ryan's dad, said since the family started campaigning "hundreds of families have come forward with similar situations".

He said: "As a family it's quite emotional to be honest with the hard work we've done over the last five years to actually get here.

"We hope they make these necessary changes to reduce road deaths and that's what really it's all about."

Helen, Ryan Saltern's mum, said she thought Ryan would look down at the family and be "bursting with pride".

She added: "We've got until the end of March to gain as much support as we can and ask as many people as we can to email their support in response to the government strategy and then after March, we'll go from there and see where it takes us."

The Road Safety Strategy 2026 would see the government take tougher action on drink-driving, drug-driving, illegal number plates, and introduce minimum learning periods for learner drivers, to make roads safer.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Every death on our roads is a tragedy and failing to stop and report an incident on the roads is completely unacceptable.

"Our new Road Safety Strategy sets out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

"As part of this we are considering tougher actions for those who fail to stop and report a road traffic incident, including reviewing the penalties."

Shilling, of St Teath, was driving home from a carnival in the village in July 2019 when he hit Saltern, who died at the scene.

He was given a four-month suspended sentence, disqualified from driving for 12 months, given an evening curfew for four months and ordered to pay a £207 victim surcharge and prosecution costs.

Ryan's Law was first brought before Parliament by MP Ben Maguire, through an amendment to the sentencing bill in October.

Maguire said the consultation announcement was "one of the proudest days I've had since I was elected MP for North Cornwall".

He said: "It's at consultation stage so we don't know the precise detail yet... we know the direction of travel now from this government is to tighten the rules around hit-and-run and crucially to increase sentences for those hit-and-run perpetrators who fail to stop, who fail to administrate and fail to call for help to make sure they get the proper sentences and justice is done."

Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay, said he was "so happy" for the Saltern family "that the government has listened to their experience and that, through Ryan's memory and their own personal strengths, they have successfully pushed our government to include their recommendations in the new Road Safety Strategy".

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