The bill amends the General Laws to increase penalties for drivers who fail to stop after being involved in an accident resulting in injury, serious bodily injury, or death. It revises the penalties for failing to stop after an accident that results in serious bodily injury by increasing the minimum imprisonment from one year to a range of one to fifteen years and changes the mandatory loss of license from a maximum of two years to a range of two to ten years. For accidents resulting in death, the minimum imprisonment is increased from two to five years, and the maximum from fifteen to thirty years, with the possibility of permanent license revocation.

Furthermore, the bill increases the penalties for driving so as to endanger, resulting in death or serious bodily injury, with maximum imprisonment raised to thirty years for causing death and fifteen years for causing serious bodily injury. The bill clarifies the definition of "serious bodily injury" and extends the application to include accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists. It also increases the penalties for DUI offenses resulting in death or serious bodily injury, with a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum of thirty years for death, and a maximum of fifteen years for serious bodily injury. The driver's license revocation period is also increased, with a minimum of five years and the possibility of permanent revocation for DUI resulting in death, and a range of two to ten years for DUI resulting in serious bodily injury. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
2936: 31-26-1