Parliament has agreed to hand more power back to judges to determine how to punish driving offences.
For the last 10 years courts had to follow a tough sentencing procedure under the ‘Via Secura’ laws passed by parliament. The aim was to cut the number of deaths and injuries on the roads. Broadly the package is being seen as a success.
But there have been cases when judges would have preferred to have been given more discretion.
Under the law judges were sometimes forced to give a serious offender a year in prison or suspend their licence for 2 years. Now they may opt for a fine instead at times.
Parliamentarians, from mainly the Swiss People’s Party, argued a long term loss of licence means some people will lose their jobs – which could be an excessive punishment.
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