Severe Injury/Death - Automobile Accidents

Donald Caminiti

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

Driving on congested highways can raise anyone's stress level. Unfortunately, stressed out drivers often become enraged. Presently, the state government does not track the number of road rage incidents on New Jersey roadways, but legislators consider the problem serious enough to stiffen the penalties when it leads to accidents that leave people injured according to an article published recently in the Star Ledger.

On November 13, the Assembly Judiciary Committee unanimously approved legislation that would make road rage a specific type of assault by auto and would increase the punishment for anyone convicted under the law. The potential prison sentence would be increased from no more than 18 months to up to three to five years and fines up to $15,000.

The measure (A1561) is named "Jessica's Law" for Jessica Rogers, 20, of Hamilton, who was severely injured in a road rage incident. She and her father, Scott Rogers, were at the committee meeting to push for changes in the current laws that would toughen the penalties.