Grieving mum pushes for driving law change after death of her son
A grieving Melbourne mother is campaigning for an automatic driver’s licence suspension for motorists accused of causing fatal crashes, after the man charged over the hit-run death of her 16-year-old was allowed to keep his licence while on bail.
Diego, 16, was killed last year while crossing a Melbourne road after leaving a friend's barbecue.
Terri Svoronos said she was stunned to discover the accused driver was legally permitted to keep driving while awaiting trial. A Current Affair
Police allege 23-year-old Harry Waldron was speeding and on his phone before striking the teenager and fleeing the scene.
Waldron has been charged with offences including dangerous driving causing death, but under current Victorian law, the suspension of a driver's licence is not automatic for drivers charged in connection with a fatality.
His mother Terri Svoronos told A Current Affair she was stunned to discover the accused driver was legally permitted to keep driving while awaiting trial.
"I went into overdrive," she said.
Svoronos is advocating for state legislation to ensure an automatic licence suspension for anyone charged with a driving offence involving a fatality.
"We just assume, I don't know, would you assume if somebody was killed in a crash, there might be a temporary licence suspension?
"It's the most devastating, heart-wrenching gut-tearing pain and it doesn't go away," she said.
Svoronos recently met with the Victorian Attorney-General and her proposal has been referred to the Victorian Law Reform Commission for review.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll declined to be interviewed by A Current Affair about the proposal, with his office citing he was unavailable.
When the program attended the Premier's media conference on Wednesday he stopped short of pledging a change to the law.
"We will certainly look at this," he said.
"Anyone who takes a life on the road should not be driving.
Diego, 16, was killed last year while crossing a Melbourne road after leaving a friend’s barbecue. A Current Affair
"I commit to doing everything I can to close this loophole."
Shadow Attorney-General, James Newbury said “we are deeply concerned by the circumstances of this case”.
“If elected to government, we will look closely at the legislation and whether changes are needed to better protect Victorians from dangerous drivers causing further harm,” Newbury said.
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