California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1532


Introduced by Assembly Member Gatto

January 21, 2014


An act to add Section 20002.5 the Vehicle Code, relating to accidents.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1532, as introduced, Gatto. Vehicle: accidents.

Existing law requires a driver involved in an accident resulting only in damage to property to, among other things, immediately stop the vehicle at the nearest location that will not impede traffic or otherwise jeopardize the safety of other motorists. A violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both.

This bill would provide that a driver of a vehicle involved in an accident where a person is struck but not injured, shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident and provide specified information including, but not limited to, his or her name and current residence address. A violation of these provisions would be a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for 6 months, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both, and the Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to immediately suspend the driver’s license of a convicted driver for 6 months.

Because these changes would have the effect of expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 20002.5 is added to the Vehicle Code,
2to read:

3

20002.5.  

(a) The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident
4where a person is struck but not injured shall immediately stop the
5vehicle at the scene of the accident, and shall also give his or her
6name, current residence address, the names and current residence
7addresses of any occupant of the driver’s vehicle injured in the
8accident, the registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving,
9and the name and current residence address of the owner to the
10person struck and the driver or occupants of any vehicle collided
11with, and shall give the information to any traffic or police officer
12at the scene of the accident.

13(b) A driver or injured occupant of a driver’s vehicle subject to
14the provisions of subdivision (a) shall also, upon being requested,
15 exhibit his or her driver’s license, if available, or, in the case of
16an injured occupant, any other available identification, to the person
17struck or the driver or occupants of any vehicle collided with, and
18to any traffic or police officer at the scene of the accident.

19(c) A person failing to comply with all the requirements of this
20section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof,
21shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding
22six months, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars
23($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

24(d) In addition to the punishment in subdivision (c), the
25Department of Motor Vehicles shall immediately suspend the
26driver’s license of the convicted driver for six months.

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SEC. 2.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
28Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
29the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
30district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
31infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
32for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
33the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
P3    1the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
2Constitution.



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