Road safety charity Brake has welcomed the announcement that individuals found guilty of causing death while driving are now receiving tougher sentences.

Responding to the latest data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Brake has welcomed the news that 60 per cent of those found guilty of causing death in England and Wales received immediate custodial sentences during 2014 – up from 54 per cent in the previous year.

Meanwhile, the average length of sentence increased from three-and-a-half to four years over the same period.

Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend stated that the charity has campaigned for a long time to see stronger sentences for those who kill while in charge of a vehicle, especially in cases where victims have been left with a feeling of betrayal due to the short sentences that have been handed to perpetrators.

"It is encouraging that we are starting to see this trend being reversed, with more offenders being appropriately charged with causing a death by dangerous driving, and receiving tougher sentences that better reflect the consequences of their actions," she commented.

"There is more work to be done, but this could be the start of a culture shift towards treating driving offences with the gravity they deserve."

Ms Townsend added that the upcoming publication of the government's review into the legal treatment of driving offences in the UK is now eagerly anticipated, as it is hoped this will provide further strengthening of punishments and deterrents for those who would break the nation's driving laws.