READERS can vote for one of the Oxford Mail's campaigns to win a national competition as part of Local Newspaper Week. 

VOTE HERE 

The Drive for Justice appeal, for harsher penalties for dangerous drivers, has been shortlisted for the Making a Difference prize, which will be announced during Friday's Regional Press Awards ceremony in London. 

Last year when the Government announced plans to toughen sentences for killer drivers the families of many victims were keen to make their feelings known.

The Oxford Mail has reported on countless incidents where lives have been needlessly lost due to the selfish actions of people who get behind the wheel and drive dangerously, in some cases while under the influence of drink or drugs, or while distracted by mobile phones.

Readers will be aware of the case of Tomasz Kroker, a lorry driver who killed a mother and three children when he smashed into their car on the A34 last year.

Other prominent local cases include that of Liberty Baker, a 14-year-old killed in June 2014 by Robert Blackwell in Witney.

Our campaign aimed to raise the profile of the Government’s consultation on whether or not sentences for such drivers should be tougher, so that the public could let ministers know how strongly they felt about the issue.

What is Local Newspaper Week? 

IT celebrates high quality, trusted local journalism in the community and this year runs from May 15 to May 21.

It is an initiative staged by the local newspaper industry and is a chance for newspapers to celebrate the important job they have in a community. Not least, to celebrate why they do it.

This year the focus for the week is firmly on trusted content, fighting fake news and how newspapers can make a difference by campaigning for local causes on behalf of their readers.