PRINTER'S NO.  952

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

896

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY ROSS, BARRAR, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CRUZ, CUTLER, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, J. EVANS, FLECK, GABLER, GROVE, HARKINS, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, KAUFFMAN, MILLER, MILNE, MUNDY, MURT, O'NEILL, PETRI, READSHAW, REICHLEY, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, TALLMAN, J. TAYLOR AND WATSON, MARCH 2, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 2, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

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Statutes, further providing for the offense of careless

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driving.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Section 3714 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania

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Consolidated Statutes, amended October 19, 2010 (P.L.557,

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No.81), is amended to read:

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§ 3714.  Careless driving.

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(a)  General rule.--Any person who drives a vehicle in

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careless disregard for the safety of persons or property is

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guilty of careless driving, a summary offense.

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(b)  Unintentional death.--If the person who violates this

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section unintentionally causes the death of another person as a

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result of the violation, the person shall, upon conviction, be

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sentenced to pay a fine of $500.

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(c)  Serious bodily injury.--If the person who violates this

 


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section unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury of

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another person as a result of the violation, the person shall,

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upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $250.

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(c.1)  Additional penalty for distracted driver.--

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(1)  Any person who violates this section and at the time

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of the violation is distracted by the use of any electronic,

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electrical, mechanical, personal grooming device, food,

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drink, book or printed material shall, in addition to any

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other penalty imposed, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a

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fine of $50.

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(2)  No person shall be convicted under this subsection

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unless the person is also convicted under subsection (a) for

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a violation which occurred at the same time. No costs as

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described under 42 Pa.C.S. § 1725.1 (relating to costs) shall

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be imposed for a conviction under this subsection. Conviction

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under this subsection shall not constitute a moving

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violation.

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(d)  Definition.--As used in this section, "distracted" means

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having a person's attention diverted from operating a vehicle by

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a radio, recording and playback device, telephone device,

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citizens band radio, television, computer and any other device.

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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