PROPOSALS FOR A new law could see careless and dangerous driving prosecuted on indictment where it results in the loss of a pregnancy. 

The proposed legislation, known as Jax’s Law, which has cross-party support, seeks to recognise a stillborn baby as an individual victim of a road traffic collision.

The proposed bill will define a lost pregnancy of at least 23 weeks’ gestation or a foetus of at least 400g.

It is also proposed that the Road Safety Authority begin to collect statistics on pregnancies lost as a result of road traffic accidents.

Over 32 TDs have co-sponsored the bill now, from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and Independents.

The proposed law has been welcomed by Saoirse Aylward, who was 31 weeks’ pregnant with her son when she was involved in a car crash in 2024,

Aylward had to have an emergency caesarean section but her son Jax was stillborn. The man in the other car was subsequently jailed.

Colleen Langan’s, whose aunt Róisín Connolly, died in a road traffic collision in 2010 when she was five months’ pregnant with baby Catherine, is also advocating for legislative change, stating that her aunt’s baby was never recognised.

Recognising the loss of pregnancy

Fine Gael TD Barry Ward said the proposed change in law will ensure that if there is death or serious injury, it can be prosecuted on indictment and this will include the loss of pregnancy.

“So if a pregnancy is lost as a result of dangerous driving, it increases the jurisdiction of the DPP and the courts to impose penalties in relation to that, and it acknowledges the serious hurt, harm, sadness and loss of a life,” Ward said today. 

“Saoirse and Colleen have been advocating for change to the law in this area so that the loss of a pregnancy, as a result of careless or dangerous driving, would also allow the DPP to prosecute on indictment and to give the wider sentencing jurisdiction to the judge,” he added. 

Ward said there is broad consensus behind this bill, stating that the best way to have this come into law is to get a cross-party agreement on it.