Bill > S02114

This bill enacts the Vehicular Violence Accountability Act, which introduces new legal provisions addressing serious traffic-related injuries and fatalities caused by negligent driving. The legislation creates a new article in the penal law defining "vehicular violence" as conduct involving a motorized vehicle that negligently causes injury or death, beyond existing driving under the influence statutes. The bill establishes four primary offenses: serious physical injury by vehicle (a class B misdemeanor), aggravated serious physical injury by vehicle (a class A misdemeanor), death by vehicle (a class A misdemeanor), and aggravated death by vehicle (a class E felony). These offenses are triggered when a driver fails to exercise due care and commits specific traffic infractions that directly cause injury or death. The bill also requires the commissioner of motor vehicles to include a mandatory vehicular violence awareness component in pre-licensing driver education, which will educate prospective drivers about the legal consequences of dangerous driving. Aggravating factors for these offenses include driving with a suspended license, prior DUI convictions, excessive speeding, multiple traffic infractions, and causing harm to multiple individuals. The law aims to create stronger legal accountability for drivers whose negligence results in serious harm to others, with penalties increasing based on the severity and circumstances of the incident.

Housing and Urban Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2114