Colorado Considers Increased Consequences for Hit-and-Run Drivers

The Colorado legislature is considering proposals to increase the consequences for hit-and-run drivers.

2011-08-06

August 06, 2011 (Press-News.org) Hit-and-run accidents are appalling and shameful. It's bad enough to carelessly run into someone. But it's even worse to leave the scene without checking on the health and safety of the people in the other vehicle.

The Colorado legislature is looking to crack down on such cowardice. Colorado lawmakers are working with victims of hit-and-run car accidents to develop specific proposals for bills that would toughen the consequences for leaving the scene of an accident.

Consequences for Hit-and-Runs

Under present law, jail time is not mandatory for hit-and-run convictions. One proposal for strengthening the law could be to make such jail time mandatory when someone losses his or her license after a hit-and-run.

The increased punishment could help deter hit-and-run accidents in the future. People would think twice about leaving the scene, knowing it could result in a trip to jail.

Another possible proposal is to give victims of hit-and-run accidents more input into the type of community service those convicted of hit-and-run must perform.

Why it Matters

Hit-and-run victims and their families are banding together to make the case for strengthening Colorado law. They are telling legislators their stories.

Tim Abo, 26, is one of the victims speaking out. He was in a coma and spent nearly three months in the hospital after being struck by a hit-and-run driver while walking in Denver last October. Since then, many more hit-and-runs have occurred.

In a TV interview, Tim's brother Rodney said that drivers who crash into others need to take responsibility for their actions. "[I]f you're not going to take ownership, we'll do something about it," he said. "We're going to set the laws, we're going to go out and do our part about getting bills changed."

Holding Hit-and-Run Drivers Accountable

It doesn't matter whether the accident involved a pedestrian or another vehicle. Someone who leaves the scene needs to be held accountable.

One way of doing that, in addition to penalties issued by the state, is through a personal injury lawsuit. Contact a Colorado car accident lawyer to discuss your specific case.

Article provided by James L. Finegan, P.C.
Visit us at www.fineganlaw.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Scientist urges government ruling on genetically engineered salmon

2011-08-06

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- A Purdue University scientist is urging federal officials to decide whether genetically engineered salmon would be allowed for U.S. consumption and arguing that not doing so may set back scientific efforts to increase food production. William Muir, a professor of animal sciences, said that based on data made available by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AquAdvantage (AA) salmon poses little real risk to the environment or human health. AA salmon were given a gene from Chinook salmon that speeds growth and improves feed efficiency in farm-raised ...

GOES-13 Satellite watches Emily fizzle, morph and hope for a comeback

2011-08-06

VIDEO: GOES-13 satellite imagery in 15 minute intervals from Aug. 3 at 15:15 UTC (11:15 a.m. EDT) to August 8 and shows Emily forming east of Hispaniola (bottom right) and moving... Click here for more information. A new animation from the GOES-13 satellite shows the creating and morphing of what was once Tropical Storm Emily into an elongated area of low pressure over the Caribbean Sea. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite called GOES-13 provides continuous ...

Obama Administration Ups Enforcement Against Alleged Health Care Fraud

2011-08-06

A number of large federal health care programs have been vulnerable to fraud for years. Although there is no way to accurately measure the exact financial impact of undetected fraud, officials estimate that abuses of health care initiatives cost billions of dollars every year. In the current climate of slow economic growth and tight government budgets, officials are making concentrated efforts to trim waste. For the Obama administration, this means taking a hard line on healthcare fraud. New enforcement measures have resulted in a significant number of fines, penalties ...

NASA sees Typhoon Muifa almost twice as big as Tropical Storm Merbok

2011-08-06

In one image, NASA's Aqua satellite captured two tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific today, Tropical Storm Merbok and the large Typhoon Muifa. NASA Satellite imagery shows that Muifa is almost twice as big as Merbok. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured Typhoon Muifa near Okinawa, Japan and Tropical Storm Merbok, farther east in the western Pacific at 4:35 UTC (12:35 a.m. EDT) on August 5, 2011. By having the storms side-by-side in one image, it is much easier to see how Merbok is a lot less ...

U.S. Supreme Court Decides Seatbelt Case

2011-08-06

On February 23, 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Williamson v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc. The Court considered whether federal regulations governing vehicle safety standards preempt state product liability claims for failure to install three-point, lap-and-shoulder style seat belts in the back seats of vehicles. In a unanimous decision, the Court held that such state claims were not barred, allowing litigation against Mazda to continue. Background The claims in Williamson arose from a 2004 car crash involving a 1993 Mazda MPV mini-van. Thanh Williamson ...

Recognizing Signs of Elder Abuse

2011-08-06

Elder abuse is a real danger for many in their golden years. Growing awareness of the issue nationally has brought to light some horrific acts perpetrated by caregivers at long-term care facilities. As more baby boomers retire and need extended care, it will become a central issue affecting senior citizens in the United States. The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) reports that more than one million Americans over the age of 65 have experienced some type of abuse, neglect or exploitation by caregivers. Most victims of elder abuse suffer in silence. For every one case ...

NASA sees warmer cloud tops in infrared imagery of Tropical Storm Eugene

2011-08-06

Warmer cloud top temperatures mean that cloud heights in a tropical cyclone are dropping and the storm doesn't have as much power to push them higher in the atmosphere. That's what NASA infrared satellite imagery has revealed about Tropical Storm Eugene this morning. During the very early morning hours (Eastern Daylight Time) on August 5, Eugene was still hurricane strength. Then the storm ran into cooler waters and a more stable atmosphere, weakening into a tropical storm. That weakening was confirmed in satellite imagery from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) ...

Think Outside the Box When Creating a Visitation Agreement

2011-08-06

For a divorcing parent, especially the non-custodial parent, there may be nothing more important than ensuring that the relationships with his or her children are maintained. By devising a visitation schedule that best reflects the needs of all involved, those relationships can be maintained and grown. Standard Visitation Schedule A standard visitation schedule -- also called a possession schedule -- is offered in the Texas Family Code. For parents who live within 100 miles of each other, the standard schedule for a child age three or older provides for visitation ...

Pennsylvania Governor Declares May "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month"

2011-08-06

In a recent press release, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett proclaimed the month of May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Across the state, the warm spring weather changes our climate; motorcycle riders are again taking to the road after a long winter. As the riding season continues in earnest, the governor is asking riders and drivers to share the road and maintain safe operating practices. Vigilance by riders and drivers is important now more than ever. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) reports that the number of registered motorcycles increased ...

Diamond Reveals Nation's Children Sick of Car Journeys

2011-08-06

Diamond has released the results of a new study that reveals one in four British children suffer from travel sickness. The research also suggests the affliction could run in the family. The study of 2,000 parents by the women's car insurance specialist has shown even those whose children aren't regularly travel sick prepare for the worst with two fifths taking the precaution of keeping sick bags in the car just in case. And for the parents of children who do get car sick, three quarters have to stop and pull over for their child to be ill, travelling an average of ...

Colorado Considers Increased Consequences for Hit-and-Run Drivers

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: