What's happening
Alix's Law requires drivers involved in crashes while impaired to presume knowledge of the incident and fulfill reporting duties, closing legal loopholes.
Why it matters
Strengthens accountability for impaired drivers. By presuming that drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs know (or should know) they've been in a crash, the law makes it much harder for intoxicated drivers to avoid legal responsibility by claiming ignorance of the incident.
Promotes prompt reporting and investigation. The bill requires all drivers involved in a crash, especially those impaired, to conduct a reasonable investigation and report the incident, aiming to reduce hit-and-run situations and ensure that victims receive timely help and justice.
Targets a key legal defense loophole. Currently, some impaired drivers avoid penalties for leaving the scene by arguing they were too intoxicated to realize a crash occurred; this law effectively closes that loophole, making impairment no longer a shield against liability.
Impacts ride-sharing and peer-to-peer car sharing. The law specifically addresses drivers operating as part of a transportation network company (like Uber/Lyft) or using shared vehicles, requiring them to disclose their status and insurance details, thus expanding accountability in the growing gig and shared economy sectors.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Tougher Hit-and-Run Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
907
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. GALLIVAN, BORRELLO, HELMING, MATTERA, ORTT, TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to leaving the scene of an incident without reporting
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Alix's Law".
§ 2. Paragraph a of subdivision 1 and paragraph a of subdivision 2 of section 600 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 795 of the laws of 2021, are amended to read as follows:
a. Any person operating a motor vehicle who, knowing or having cause to know that the motor vehicle operated by such person has come in contact with a person, real property or personal property, has a duty to perform a reasonable and good faith investigation of the incident and if as a result of such investigation such person knows or has reason to know that damage has been caused to the real property or to the personal property, not including animals, of another, due to [an incident involving] the contact of the motor vehicle operated by such person, such person shall, before leaving the place where the damage occurred, stop, exhibit [his or her] their license and insurance identification card for such vehicle, when such card is required pursuant to articles six and eight of this chapter, and give [his or her] their name, residence, including street and number, insurance carrier and insurance identification information including but not limited to the number and effective dates of [said] such individual's insurance policy, and license number to the party sustaining the damage, or in case the person sustaining the damage is not present at the place where the damage occurred then [he or she] such person shall report the same as soon as physically able to the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02827-01-5
nearest police station, or judicial officer. A person operating a motor vehicle in violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this chapter, that came into contact with a person, real property, or personal property, that resulted in damage to real property or to the personal property, not including animals, of another, shall be presumed to have known or have cause to know of such contact and of such damage, unless such person shows that they would not have known or have cause to know of such contact and of such injury regardless of intoxication or impairment by the use of alcohol or a drug, or by the combined influence of drugs or of alcohol and any drug or drugs. In addition to the foregoing, any such person shall also: (i) (A) produce the proof of insurance coverage required pursuant to article forty-four-B of this chapter if such person is a TNC driver operating a TNC vehicle while the incident occurred who was (1) logged on to the TNC's digital network but not engaged in a TNC prearranged trip or (2) was engaged in a TNC prearranged trip; and (B) disclose whether [he or she] such person, at the time such incident occurred, was (1) logged on to the TNC's digital network but not engaged in a TNC prearranged trip or (2) was engaged in a TNC prearranged trip, or (ii) (A) produce the proof of insurance coverage required pursuant to article forty of the general business law if such person is a shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver operating a shared vehicle during a peer-to-peer car sharing period while the incident occurred; and (B) disclose whether [he or she] such person, at the time such incident occurred, was operating a shared vehicle during a peer-to-peer car sharing period.
a. Any person operating a motor vehicle who, knowing or having cause to know that the motor vehicle operated by such person has come in contact with a person, real property or personal property, has a duty to perform a reasonable and good faith investigation of the incident and if as a result of such investigation such person knows or has reason to know that personal injury has been caused to another person, due to [an incident involving] the contact of the motor vehicle operated by such person, such person shall, before leaving the place where the said personal injury occurred, stop, exhibit [his or her] their license and insurance identification card for such vehicle, when such card is required pursuant to articles six and eight of this chapter, and give [his or her] their name, residence, including street and street number, insurance carrier and insurance identification information including but not limited to the number and effective dates of [said] such individual's insurance policy and license number, to the injured party, if practical, and also to a police officer, or in the event that no police officer is in the vicinity of the place of [said] such injury, then, [he or she] such person shall report said incident as soon as physically able to the nearest police station or judicial officer. A person operating a motor vehicle in violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this chapter, that came into contact with a person, real property, or personal property, that resulted in injury to another person, shall be presumed to have known or have cause to know of such injury, unless such person shows that they would not have known or have cause to know of such contact and of such injury regardless of intoxication or impairment by the use of alcohol or a drug, or by the combined influence of drugs or of alcohol and any drug or drugs. In addition to the foregoing, any such person shall also: (i) (A) produce the proof of insurance coverage required pursuant to article forty-four-B of this chapter if such person is a TNC driver operating a TNC vehicle at the time of the incident who was (1) logged on to the TNC's digital network but not engaged in a TNC prearranged trip or (2) was engaged in a TNC prearranged trip; and (B) disclose whether [he or she,] at the time such incident occurred, was (1) logged on to the TNC's digital network but not engaged in a TNC prearranged trip or (2) was engaged in a TNC prearranged trip, or (ii) (A) produce the proof of insurance coverage required pursuant to article forty of the general business law if such person is a shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver operating a shared vehicle during a peer-to-peer car sharing period while the incident occurred; and (B) disclose whether [he or she,] at the time such incident occurred, was operating a shared vehicle during a peer-to-peer car sharing period.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to leaving the scene of an incident without reporting
Purpose
This bill would establish "Alix's Law" by amending subdivisions 1 and 2 of Section 600 of the vehicle and traffic law (VTL) in relation to leav- ing the scene of an incident with- out reporting to include operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Summary of provisions
Modifies the crime of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting when a driver is intoxicated by creating a duty to investigate when a driver knows or has reason to know that he or she has collided with anything. An intoxicated driver is presumed to know or have reason to know that he or she has made contact with a person or property.
Existing law
Current law states that a person must knowingly, or have reason to know that he or she caused personal injury or property damage to be guilty of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting.
Justification
Too often drunk drivers flee the scene of an accident to avoid being accountable for their actions. In some cases, they leave seriously injured or dying victims at the scene of impact. Current law requires that a prosecutor prove that a drunk driver knowingly or had cause to know that they caused personal injury or property damage. This law modi- fies that statute so that drivers illegally operating their vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol are held responsible when leav- ing the scene of an incident.
In 2011, 18-year-old Alix Rice, while riding her longboard, was killed by a drunk driver who fled the scene of the crime. The defendant argued that he was not aware he had hit a person and his defense team was successful in getting him acquitted on the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident. Meanwhile, the defendant was convicted of operat- ing a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Drunk drivers are already in violation of the law when operating a motor vehicle. Additionally, their perception and awareness are compromised. Because of these factors, the burden should not fall on the prosecution to prove an intoxicated driver's knowledge of causing, damage to proper- ty or injuring other people. Instead, an intoxicated driver should be held fully accountable whenever an accident occurs. This bill will presume that an intoxicated driver knew or had reason to know that damage or injury has occurred and should have stopped to investigate.
Legislative history
2023-24: S.194 Referred to Transportation 2021-22: S.1693/A.7351 Referred to Transportation
2019-20: S.857 Referred to Transportation
2017-18: S.3393-A/A.1944-A Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
2015-16: S.405/A.4760 Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
2013-14: S.1698-A/A.9818 Passed Senate/Referred to Transportation
2011-12: S.7866/A.10754-A Referred to Rules/Referred to Transportation
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.