Bill co-sponsored by Addabbo targets people who cause serious injury or death when driving with suspended & revoked licenses

Legislation (S.3299) co-sponsored by NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. to impose harsher penalties on unlicensed drivers who seriously injure or kill others as a result of their irresponsible and illegal behavior has been approved by the State Senate.

“Every law-abiding pedestrian and responsible motorist in our society deserves to travel our roadways in safety without being victimized by people who drive without licenses and place all of us at risk,” said Addabbo. “When people get behind the wheel knowing full well their licenses have been suspended or revoked – often for good reason – they are committing serious criminal acts. We need to update our laws to make sure the punishments fit the crimes, particularly when innocent victims are severely hurt or lose their lives in the process.”

Under the legislation (S.3299), motorists who seriously injure others when they knowingly drive with suspended or revoked licenses could be charged with vehicular assault in the second degree, a class E felony. Those who drive illegally with suspended or revoked licenses and kill another person could face a new crime of vehicular homicide, a more serious class D felony. A class D felony carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison, while a class E felony may impose up to four years behind bars.

“Serious and fatal crashes caused by unlicensed drivers who knowingly flaunt the law represent a very serious public safety issue,” said Addabbo. “Hopefully, higher penalties for unlicensed driving would help deter this irresponsible, illegal and dangerous behavior.”

Addabbo noted that 10 percent of all New York crashes are reportedly caused by drivers with suspended or revoked licenses, and that 75 percent of these motorists continue to get behind the wheel illegally.

“We have seen a number of these tragic accidents here in Queens, and I have had constituents reach out to me on strategies to combat unlicensed driving,” said Addabbo. “I hope this bill will receive the consideration it needs and deserves, and ultimately be enacted into law. Too many innocent lives are at risk.”

In December of 2013, Addabbo added, Queens residents witnessed the particularly heart-rending death of eight-year-old Noshat Nahian, a third grade student at PS152 in Woodside. The child was walking to school with his sister when he was struck and killed by a tractor trailer driver operating his vehicle with a suspended license.

The legislation, whose prime Senate sponsor is Senator Michael Gianaris, will now be considered by the Assembly Committee on Codes.