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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 16, 2014 10:36 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Angel Cruz |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Legislation Mandating Police to Report to the Scene of Automobile Accidents (Former HB 955) |
| In the near future, I intend to reintroduce legislation which would amend Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to require police officers to physically report to the scene of all reported automobile accidents. Current law outlines specific instances which require police to investigate a reported automobile accident, including instances where there are injuries and/or extensive vehicle damage. However, the term investigate is not clearly defined, and therefore is not necessarily interpreted as a requirement for law enforcement officers to physically report to the scene. Recently, it has come to my attention that this has become a very problematic and dangerous issue in the City of Philadelphia. Physical altercations, and extensive injuries and damage are taking place at the scene of accidents, yet when the accident is reported, law enforcement officers are often reluctant to report to the scene. From a broader perspective, there are too many unknowns when it comes to vehicle accidents, regardless of how minor the accident may appear. When police are not present to report on the circumstances of the accident, the system is subject to massive insurance fraud, often complicated by conflicting accounts from the drivers involved. As such, my legislation would require police officers to physically report to the scene of all reported automobile accidents in the Commonwealth. |
Introduced as HB402