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Legislation Would Enhance Charges and Require License Revocation
Thursday, April 1, 2004
The New York York State Senate today passed two bills that would increase the penalties for leaving the scene of a deadly accident and require the automatic revocation of a driver�s license when an individual operates a vehicle in violation of the legal rules of the road, and causes serious physical injury or death.
The bills are part of a package, submitted last week by Governor George Pataki, designed to crack down on dangerous drivers and make our streets and sidewalks more safe and close legal loopholes that allow drivers who injure or kill innocent victims to escape strong punishment.
"New York�s laws must be changed to target dangerous drivers who flagrantly disobey traffic rules and cause crashes that claim innocent lives," Senator Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said. "Killer motorists shouldn�t be able to drive through legal loopholes to escape strong punishment and evade justice. I applaud Governor Pataki for advancing this legislative package and I hope the Assembly will join the Senate in acting on these bills."
The legislation (S.6541) would enhance the charges for leaving the scene of a deadly accident to a class D felony, and require the automatic suspension of a driver�s license when an individual is charged with this crime.
Current law does not adequately punish the considerable harm caused by drivers who kill a person by operation of their motor vehicles, and then flee the scene to avoid detection. The existing charge is only a class E felony, and his or her license may be suspended or revoked only upon final deposition of the charges.
Another bill (S.6558) passed today would require the automatic revocation of a driver�s license when an individual operates a vehicle in violation of the legal rules of the road, and causes serious physical injury or death.
In addition, the bill requires a driver whose license was revoked, pursuant to this section, to successfully complete an accident prevention course that has been approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles prior to obtaining a new license.
The bills were sent to the Assembly.
Four other bills introduced as part of the dangerous driver package will be acted on by the Senate later this month. The legislation would impose consecutive sentences on someone who commits two or more criminal offenses through a single act that causes death or physical injury to more than one person; strengthen existing penalties to punish motorists who injure or kill people as a result of dangerous and unlawful driving; require fingerprinting of an individual who is convicted of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; and establish criminal sanctions, mandate license revocation and require successful completion of approved defensive driving courses for individuals convicted of road rage.
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