Safe Speed Forums

Text driver jailed for bike death

A motorist who was texting on her mobile phone when she hit and killed a cyclist has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Jordan Wickington, 19, died from head injuries when he went through a red light and was struck by Kiera Coultas' car in Southampton in February 2007.

The 25-year-old from Hythe, Hampshire, was driving at 45mph in a 30mph zone.

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

Judge Jeremy Burford also banned her from driving.

"The serious part of your conduct was that you were sending a text on your mobile phone having just received one," he said.

"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 and travelling as you were at 45mph you hit him and he suffered injuries from which he later died."

Mr Wickington, of Netley, Hampshire, died in Southampton General Hospital.

Speaking after the ruling his sister, Laura, said: "My life came crashing down before me, seeing my 19-year-old brother lying dying in a hospital bed was too much to take.

"These moments were the most soul destroying and traumatic moments of my life," she said.

Sgt Alyson West, of Hampshire Constabulary, said the ruling would hopefully discourage others from using their mobile phones while driving.

"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 answer is quite simple - don't use your mobile phone and drive.

"Nothing is so important that it can't wait until you stop or arrive safely at your destination."

also there's not much emphasis on the fact the cyclist when through a red light. IMO they've used her to make an example.

Frankly, the light was so far away from the junction it played no part in the result, she would've struck anything that happened to be in her path at the time.

If she had been driving the vehicle with due care and consideration then this wouldn't have happend.

Surely the punishment should fit the crime not some political end.

Frankly, the light was so far away from the junction it played no part in the result, she would've struck anything that happened to be in her path at the time.

If she had been driving the vehicle with due care and consideration then this wouldn't have happend.

If it had been a car jumping the red light every one would have prosicuted the red light jumper...

Sgt Alyson West, of Hampshire Constabulary, said the ruling would hopefully discourage others from using their mobile phones while driving.

A lot of people are saying she should've got longer and that four years (two inside I'd imagine) is way too short considering the ultimate result of the driving she undertook.

weepej, I would like to invite you down to southampton and see the junction yourself. I would like you to speculate how many times you could cross that junction on red before you were hit.

It is a very safe junction as long as people obay the lights. I am not aware of any other accidents on that junction. I have used that junction around 15 times a week since it was built about 10 yeas ago.

We should hang them publicly in football stadiums on live TV perhaps?

It DIDN't discourage anybody

- yesterday while picking up my 10 year old son from school, I witnessed a transit van, driving down the school driveway, with two wheels on the pavement, while the driver was speaking on his mobile phone.

Frankly, the light was so far away from the junction it played no part in the result, she would've struck anything that happened to be in her path at the time.

I know the junction, I'm very careful when I drive through it, it's big wide and open and people go through it at ridiculous speeds, and often very late on amber or even red.

So we've established that had the cyclist obeyed the red light, he would still be alive today.

a dangerous junction.