A vast majority (91 per cent) of respondents to a new survey from road safety charity Brake have stated they are in favour of more severe charges for individuals who kill while driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

Nine out of ten people taking part in the organisation's poll said they would like to see the charge of manslaughter used in cases like this, while 66 per cent said they thought that anyone who killed while driving under the influence should face a minimum jail sentence of ten years.

Moreover, 84 per cent of respondents stated their belief that all divers who kill while breaking traffic laws should be charged with dangerous and not careless driving as standard.

Overall, the results show the strong sentiment of the British public surrounding this topic.

Director of communications and campaigns at Brake Gary Rae commented: "People we work with tell us they are left feeling betrayed by the use of inappropriately-termed charges and lenient sentences.

"Drivers who kill while taking illegal risks are too often labelled 'careless' in the eyes of the law, and then given insultingly low sentences when their actions can only be described as dangerous and destructive."

As a result, Brake has now launched a new campaign entitled Roads to Justice, which focuses on strengthening both the charges and sentences faced by criminal drivers in the UK.