Road safety campaigners last night warned motorists to be more vigilant after a newly-wed was jailed after admitting running over a cyclist while checking her rear view mirror.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) spoke out after Ann Evans was sentenced to ten months for killing RAF Corporal Mark Farrington, of Wollaston, in Stourbridge, last August.
The judge at Caemarfon Crown Court claimed her lapse in concentration was "brief but not momentary" and she had made no attempt to brake or avoid the 34-year-old Royal Marine who had served in Bosnia.
RoSPA spokesman Roger Vincent said this case highlighted people need to pay more attention to what is going on around them while driving.
He said: "This woman was driving in a normal manner, she does not appear to have been drinking, speeding or driving recklessly.
"Using the rear view mirror is a basic part of driving, and it seems all this woman did was take a few extra seconds to look at the vehicle behind her, which meant she did not react to what was happening in front of her car.
"Cyclists are vulnerable road users and Evans admitted in court that her manner of driving led to his death, but that could have happened to anyone. We all need to be more aware when we're driving."
Corporal Farrington, who was based at RAF Valley in Anglesey, was cycling along the A55 near Bangor on August 15 when he was hit by Evans' Peugeot car.
The fitness fanatic had completed seven years with the Royal Marines before leaving to work in several gymnasiums. He then rejoined the armed forces in 2005, graduating at RAF Cosford as their top recruit on July 7.
Despite her admission of guilt, Mr Vincent said Evans' ten-month sentence seemed at odds with that handed down to Jaswinder Lakvinder Singh, who was jailed for 18 months for hitting Birmingham University medical student Abigail Craen and leaving her for dead on the Pershore Road, in Edgbaston, last October.
"Compared to Abigail Craen's case, where the motorist was speeding and failed to stop at the scene, there seems to be a clear need for more consistency in these decisions," he added.
"However there is scope for him (Singh) to be punished more severely, and his sentence is currently being appealed."
Evans, of Rhosydd Canol, Bodedern, Anglesey, said she failed to see his bike as she drove home from work, despite the clear conditions and Corporal Farrington's "multi-coloured clothing".
The 25-year-old had been distracted by a van travelling behind her car when she hit the cyclist, and admitted causing death by dangerous driving.
Prosecutor Owen Edwards said she told police she had been driving at between 65 and 70mph on the A55 dual carriageway near Gwalchmai in Anglesey when the tragedy occurred.
He added: "Given the long straight road, the good visibility, the lack of obstruction and highly visible clothes of the deceased, an accident investigator unsurprisingly formed the view there was sufficient time and distance to avoid Mr Farrington."
Judge Merfyn Hughes said there was no attempt to brake or avoid Corporal Farrington.
"No one must be tempted to compare or measure the length of any sentence against the value of a life that has been lost," he added.
Defence barrister Meirion Lewis Jones described Evans, who has been married for just two months, as "an ordinary, decent, hardworking, rather shy person looking forward to establishing her home and life with her husband."
Evans, who passed her driving test in 1999, also received a three-year driving ban and must take an extended test.
