The New York State Senate today passed legislation (S.7577-A) that would hold drunk drivers accountable for leaving the scene of an accident involving their vehicle without investigating it themselves and reporting it to law enforcement.
The legislation responds to a drunk driving accident in Amherst that killed a teenage girl in Western New York. On July 8, 2011, 18-year-old Alix Rice was killed by a drunk driver as she road home on her longboard. The driver argued that he was not aware he had hit a person and he was acquitted on the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident.
The current law only requires drivers to report an accident when they know or have reason to know the accident resulted in an injury or property damage. Under this loophole, drunk drivers are able to flee the scene of an accident they caused and later claim they did not know any injury or damage occurred.
This bill would close that loophole so that drunk drivers are held responsible for leaving the scene of an accident.
The bill was sent to the Assembly.
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