NEW: House Passes Bill Stiffening Penalties for Leaving Scenes of Car Accidents
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The House has passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Joy Hearn (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence) that would instill a mandatory suspension of an operator’s license in the instance that a driver is convicted of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily harm to an individual.
“I cannot fully express the importance of this bill’s passage in the House today,” Representative Hearn said. “It has become clear in the last few years that legislators must update the law to create a more stringent penalty for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in severe physical harm to a victim.”
Representative Hearn’s legislation (2012-H 7467A) changes discretionary license suspension to mandatory license suspension for those who leave the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury, mirroring mandatory license suspension in leaving the scene resulting in mere injury and leaving the scene resulting in death. Attorney General Peter Kilmartin commended Representative Hearn for sponsoring and supporting the legislation.
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The bill is one among several pieces of legislation introduced in the wake of a highly publicized hit-and-run accident on Federal Hill in 2010, which resulted in injuries to Providence city councilor Terry Hassett.
Rhode Island statistics show that in 2011, there were approximately 20 serious hit-and-run accidents where the driver left the scene, including at least three deaths. Representative Hearn hopes changes in the law will cause those involved in serious motor vehicle accidents to think twice before fleeing an accident scene.
“It is such a tragedy when accidents like this occur, but there’s no excuse for not taking responsibility for a victim’s welfare,” she said. “A mandatory loss of license in these cases is an appropriate consequence of leaving the scene of an accident that could potentially cause long-lasting or even permanent impediments in another person’s life.”
Co-sponsors of the bill include Representatives John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth) and Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown). The legislation, which the House passed in a 60 to 12 vote, will now go to the Senate for consideration.
