Squadron Bill Cracking Down on Careless Driving Passes Senate

Squadron, Kavanagh Proposal Advances Important Vision Zero Goal

NEW YORK – Today, State Senator Daniel Squadron released the following statement regarding passage of Senate Bill S3644A, which updates “Hayley and Diego’s Law:”

“The New York State Senate today passed my bill (S3644) to improve the tools to crack down on careless drivers who injure or kill pedestrians and bicyclists. My bill, also sponsored by Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh (A2012), updates ‘Hayley and Diego’s Law’, which we passed after the tragic deaths of Hayley Ng, 4, and Diego Martinez, 3, who were killed in 2009 in Chinatown when a delivery van that was left in reverse jumped the curb.

“This bill advances an important goal of Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative. It protects pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers by updating ‘Hayley and Diego’s Law’ to make clear that careless drivers can be charged, even if the crash a driver caused did not take place in the presence of a police officer. This important change is highlighted in Vision Zero as a way to protect vulnerable road users and crack down on careless driving.

“I want to thank my colleagues for passing the bill, and Assemblymember Kavanagh, Transportation Alternatives, and Mayor de Blasio who have been leaders in the push to make our streets safer for everyone.”