Every year, approximately 40,000 people are killed in automobile accidents across the country, including California. This year those numbers dropped to their lowest level in decades with a fatality count of over 30,000 deaths. However, automobile accidents continue to be one of the biggest causes of death for Americans. Many of these accidents are caused by persons who were driving negligently. Yet, lawmakers don’t seem to consider this kind of negligence strong enough to be punished criminally.
A bill that would have imposed stronger penalties on reckless drivers has been stalled. It’s an example of the kind of lax attitude that allows reckless motorists to get away with their actions with barely a slap on the wrist. Assembly Bill 1951 was introduced by San Francisco Assemblymember Tom Ammiano. The bill strengthens penalties for dangerous driving. It also provides district attorneys greater discretionary powers to pursue traffic cases.
Under Assembly Bill 1951, district attorneys would have the power to charge unsafe driving either with an infraction or misdemeanor in case of bodily or great bodily injury. District attorneys could seek prison imprisonment in a county jail for a minimum of five days and a maximum of 90 days, or a fine of a minimum of $145 and a maximum of $1,000. District attorneys could also impose both fines and prison time as punishment. Currently, California’s laws allow penalties of $70 in fines for bodily injury and $95 if it causes great bodily injury.
Unfortunately, the bill did not make it out of committee. The biggest opposition, surprisingly enough, came from the California District Attorneys Association. Obviously, supporters of the bill including California personal injury lawyers are disappointed. Representatives for Assemblyman Ammiano say that it was lack of lobbying efforts that caused the bill to be stalled in the committee. They believe that the bill has a lot of support from individual district attorneys. .
The fact is that, very often, drivers who willfully engage in unsafe operation of their vehicles and cause injuries to others, are let off with a light punishment. If airline crashes were killing approximately 40,000 Americans every year, we wouldn’t be sitting by, allowing pilots and airline companies and to get away with it. Then why this casual attitude toward motorist safety?
