Assemblyman Lentol and Rabbi Niederman Announce the Hit-and-Run Prevention Act--a Series of Initiatives to Save Lives

Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol (D-North Brooklyn) was joined today by Rabbi David Niederman, President of the UJO of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn, to announce the Hit-and-Run Prevention Act, a series of initiatives that will reduce the number of hit-and-run incidents. The bill will be introduced in the upcoming legislative session that begins in January.

The bill was formed in response to the recent hit-and-run incidents that have taken many lives, including the Glauber family. In the last two years, over 100 hit-and-runs in NYC have resulted in serious physical injury or death. Serious physical injury can include lost limbs or severe organ damage.

Hit-and-run incidents can be reduced by educating the public on the severity of the penalties for hit-and-runs, while also stressing the importance that minutes can have in saving someone’s limbs or life. The minutes after an incident are crucial to ensure that an individual can receive necessary medical treatment.

“Unfortunately, my district has seen too many hit-and-runs, including the Glauber family, which was a tragedy. We also have countless cyclists and they are more susceptible to being seriously injured or killed when involved in a collision,” said Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol. “I am hopeful that these initiatives will bring clarity to the importance of staying on the scene of an accident, provide a mechanism to increase the chances of finding a hit-and-run suspect, and also de-incentivize people that are intoxicated from leaving. I know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle know the importance of saving people’s lives.” 

“I am fully committed to holding drivers who kill or injure others fully accountable, which can be a challenge at times because of certain deficiencies in our current laws,” said Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “This is why I support the legislation announced today by Assemblyman Lentol, which would close the loophole that incentivizes drunk drivers to flee the scene of a crash, fund an educational campaign and establish an alert system for hit and runs. These tools will help us keep pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in Brooklyn safe so I strongly urge the Legislature to enact these common sense measures into law.”

 “Four and a half years ago, an entire, expanding young family, the Glaubers, was killed by a driver who later admitted to investigators that he drove after having beers. Williamsburg is till pained by that,” said Rabbi David Niederman, President of the UJO of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn. “The appropriate level of justice was not executed, due to the driver’s running away from the scene. Incentivizing hit and runs, is foolish. We commend Assemblyman Lentol for offering legislation to correct that, which will hopefully deter and prevent such tragedies in the future."

The bill will include three initiatives:

1. Public Education Campaign
1. DCJS would be appropriated $1,000,000 to establish a public information campaign. The campaign will inform the public about the law surrounding hit-and-runs, including potential jail time. The campaign will also stress the importance of staying on the scene and contacting authorities, as a person’s limbs or life can be saved. Additionally, the campaign will inform the public that, regardless of whether they are intoxicated or sober, the crime for leaving the scene will be the same. Therefore, stopping and helping the victim is the best choice.

2. Hit-and-Run Alert System
1. The bill would authorize the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to establish and administer a statewide alert system for hit and run vehicles. The alert would be requested by law enforcement agencies when the hit-and-run incident results in serious physical injury or death. DCJS will determine the criteria for issuing an alert. 

3. Close Hit-and-Run Intoxication Loophole
1. The bill would increase the penalty for leaving the scene of a crime resulting in serious physical injury from a Class E Felony to a Class D Felony. Similarly, the penalty for leaving the scene of a crime resulting in death would be increased from a Class D Felony to a Class C Felony. 
2. Previously, if an individual was severely intoxicated and involved in a collision that resulted in serious physical injury or death and the individual stayed at the scene they would be charged with a more serious offense than if they were not intoxicated and fled the scene, such as Vehicular Assault 1^st Degree, Vehicular Manslaughter 1^st Degree, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI). This creates a loophole in the law, whereby people that are severely intoxicated are incentivized to leave the scene because they can receive a lesser charge.
3. The goal of the law is to punish an individual who leaves the scene of an accident instead of staying to help the victim, regardless of whether they are sober or intoxicated. The penalties if you stay at the scene or leave the scene will be the same.

For the entire press release click here