Do drivers deserve prison for causing death?

[m9lc]

It's a philosophy known as moral luck. I posted a thread about it a while ago.

The fact is, our society is extremely unfair and irrational in their moral judgments in these sorts of cases.

If someone runs a red light and nothing happens, then your moral judgment of them will likely change little to none (After all, "we all make mistakes"). If someone runs a red light and T-bones a car with a pregnant woman in it, killing both mother and child, then all of a sudden this person is an idiot who deserves to go to prison. Even though the difference between the two was pure luck.

 

[Mskedi]

Both of them were at fault.

Accidents are tough situations. I think that when cyclists or motorcyclists choose not to wear helmets, they're making a decision that should keep anyone who hits them from being charged with vehicular manslaughter, for one thing, since they might not have died had they worn a helmet.

I do think it is irresponsible to text msg (or read, or do otherwise distracting things) while driving. People's lives are in your hands when you're behind the wheel and you should take that responsibility seriously.

I don't know wht the punishment should be -- I'd hate to be the judge or jury in a case like the one presented in the OP.