Senate Passes Alix's Law to Crack Down on Drunk Drivers Who Leave an Accident

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) announces the New York State Senate has unanimously passed Alix’s Law, which makes it illegal to leave the scene of an accident while intoxicated. This is the sixth consecutive year that the Senate has approved the bill and sent it to the Assembly, where it has stalled in the past.  The final vote in the Senate was 61-0.

The legislation (S.3393) is named for Alix Rice, a Western New York teenager who was killed in 2011 when she was struck by a drunk driver as she rode her long board in the Town of Amherst.  The driver claimed he was not aware he hit Rice and was acquitted on the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident.  The defendant was convicted on a lesser charge of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. 

“Once again this year, the Senate has unanimously voted to close a dangerous loophole in the state’s vehicle and traffic law,” Gallivan said.  “This legislation will help ensure that drunk drivers involved in an accident are held accountable for their actions.”   

The current law only requires drivers to report an accident when they know or have reason to know the accident resulted in an injury or property damage, allowing drunk drivers to flee the scene of an accident they caused and later claim they did not know any injury or damage occurred. 

The legislation modifies the current statute so that drivers illegally operating their vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol are held responsible when they leave the scene of an accident. It also presumes that an intoxicated driver knew, or has reason to know, that damage or injury has occurred and should have stopped to investigate.

“This bill has passed the Senate with bipartisan support for six years in a row,” Gallivan said.  “It’s time for the Assembly to act on this important legislation once and for all.” 

The measure is being sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D-Buffalo).

-30-