A new law came into force in Belgium on Tuesday introducing the offence of homicide in the context of traffic, which can apply when a driver's actions result in another person's death.
More serious cases fall under the offence of aggravated homicide in the context of traffic, covering circumstances such as drink-driving, running a red light, or other serious traffic violations.
The reform increases the maximum prison sentence for aggravated cases from five to 10 years.
The new terminology is also intended to move away from expressions such as "fatal accident", which road victim associations and bereaved families have criticised for potentially downplaying responsibility in crashes caused by dangerous behaviour.
The legislation had originally been due to take effect in April, but its introduction was postponed until 1 September to allow more time for implementation.
