Jan 28, 2013

Bill would increase penalties for leaving scene of accident

The Senate Transportation Committee is scheduled to consider legislation this week (S.2503) that would increase the penalties for penalties for motorists who leave the scene of an accident where injury occurs and where it is culprit's first offense of this kind. 

The current penalty for the first offense of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting where personal injury occurs, under the VTL, is an "A" misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year of imprisonment. A driver faces charges of an "E" felony for any subsequent offense, or if a victim suffers "serious physical injury" as defined by Section 10.00 of the penal law. This proposal would increase the penalty for a first offense to an "E" felony. The penalty for repeat offenders is increased from an "E" felony to a "D" felony.