Mum of south London woman killed in drink driving crash calls for law change
The family of Lillie Clack want to see the driving licences of those found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving suspended for life.
The mother of a woman killed in a drink driving crash is campaigning to change the law around suspending licences of those responsible for fatal crashes.
Lillie Clack was a passenger of a car that crashed in Carshalton in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021.
Her mother Debbie said she can still remember the moment she was taken to the hospital after learning about her daughter's crash.
"I remember driving to the hospital praying. I prayed the whole way. I couldn't remember the words but I was saying the Lord's Prayer and please let Lillie be alright".
Lillie died in hospital 3 days later.
"The doctor told us 'Lille is very poorly. She is very very poorly and her little body is giving up on her, so we aren't going to turn the life support machine off because she is going to pass away peacefully on her own.
" And you know what? That was Lillie just saying 'Mum you don't have to make this decision I'm going to do it for you. You don't have to ever live with the fact that you turned that machine off.'"
Driver jailed
She was one of six people in the car which hit a tree after a police chase. The driver Charlie Hilton, was jailed for for causing Lille's death by dangerous driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.
But before his trial in 2023, Lillie's family learnt that Hilton had continued to drive.
"The boy that had killed Lillie was still driving, and we thought that was illegally. So, when we contacted the police and we told them the boy was still driving, the police actually came to us and said there was no reason why he couldn't be driving. It's not against the law, and he's not breaking the law.
"The police have no jurisdiction to take your licence away, unless it's medical grounds.
"He was allowed to drive for a whole year. We found that absolutely disgusting that you can kill somebody the way he killed Lillie. He was doing speeds of 120 miles per hour, these kids begged for him to stop his car and he refused that... this boy knew what he was doing.
"To then know as a family that he is still driving, still living his life, and could potentially do this to another family, we were just disgusted".
Campaign to change law
Debbie is now campaigning for Lillie's Law to change the rules around driving licence suspensions for those who have caused a death in a crash whilst under the influence.
In a petition signed by over 40,000 people, Lillie's law proposes:
- People that cause death whilst driving have their licence suspended at the moment of arrest until court proceedings have concluded
- People who are convicted of death by dangerous driving should receive the maximum 25 years in prison
- People that are sentenced for death by driving whilst under the influence are permanently banned from driving again
Debbie is optimistic the petition could make a difference.
"I am so hopeful, with the help of everybody who has signed.
"Lillie's law is a must. Lillie's law will save lives. Road crime is not taken seriously. The death of a loved one on a road must be taken seriously. With Lillies law in place we hope it will be".