Increased penalty for causing death whilst driving

Cyprus has enacted a new law that significantly increases the maximum driving ban for individuals who cause death through reckless, careless, or dangerous acts. The previous maximum disqualification period was a mere three months, which lawmakers deemed disproportionately lenient when compared to penalties for other traffic offenses (e.g., refusing an alcohol test could result in a two-year ban).

The new legislation, unanimously approved by the House of Representatives, extends this maximum ban to two years (24 months). This change grants courts more extensive discretion to impose penalties that better reflect the severe nature of causing a fatal accident. It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean every convicted driver will automatically receive a two-year ban, but it provides the judiciary with the option to impose a much stricter penalty than was previously possible.