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History
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Establishes the crime of aggravated reckless driving
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Michael Cusick
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S7172
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to reckless driving and establishes the crime of aggravated reckless driving
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is make stiffer the penalties for reckless drivers.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends Section 1212 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (reckless driving), raising the classification of reckless driving from an unclassified misdemeanor to a class A misdemeanor.
Section 2 creates a new section of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 1212-a, aggravated reckless driving.
Justification
The bill recognizes that certain actions taken by motor vehicle operators rise above the level of simple recklessness. By increasing the penalty for certain egregious acts of reckless driving, this bill hopes to deter such acts; however, for individuals who choose to continue to engage in such reckless behavior, this bill provides a more appropriate penalty.
The bill creates a new section in the Vehicle and Traffic Law entitled aggravated reckless driving. A driver engaging in any of the following acts would be guilty of aggravated reckless driving: operating in a manner that creates a grave risk of death; knowingly or through intoxication driving against the flow of traffic; driving 30 or more miles per above the posted limit while intoxicated or impaired; driving 30 or miles per hour above the posted limit while racing another vehicle, or driving 30 or more miles per hour above the posted limit and weaving in and out of traffic. Aggravated reckless driving would be a class E felony.
While addressing a number of issues concerning reckless driving, of particular importance is the subsection dealing with wrong-way driving. In the past three months alone on Long Island, there have been at least 18 incidents of wrong-way driving, most involving the use of alcohol and/or drugs. This bill addresses this issue specifically, providing a further tool for prosecutors in charging drivers that knowingly or through intoxication proceed the wrong-way on a roadway and cause significant risk of death or injury to other motorists.
Legislative history
2013: A. 6492 2012: S.3452 - Passed Senate. A.6078 - Died in Transportation
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
First of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.