New crackdown law on road rage will see drivers’ vehicles getting towed and can even see penalties turn into felonies
DRIVERS in one state will be facing tougher penalties if they are found to violate a new law tackling road rage.
At the beginning of the year, Senators passed HB 30, a new bill introduced by Republican Senator Todd Weiler to address a spike in road rage incidents in Utah.
Getty Images - GettyThe new law tackling road rage comes into effect on July 1 and could see drivers hit with felonies, increased fines, and jail time (stock image)[/caption]
GettyThe Utah Highway Patrol will have increased powers to address offenders including impounding vehicles and enforcing sanctions on driving licenses[/caption]
The new law which goes into force on July 1 will not only impact drivers but also their passengers.
It comes after the Beehive State has seen a 32% increase since 2020 in emergency dispatchers reporting road rage incidents, according to data from Utah Highway Patrol.
The figures from the department’s six main dispatch centers show an increase in reported road rage incidents from 565 in 2020 to 747 in 2023.
“There were some really high profile incidents that came to light last summer that really kind of brought this to everyone’s attention saying that this is just something we need to start addressing specifically,” Utah Highway Patrol Col. Michael Rapich told Fox News affiliate KSTU earlier this year.
With just days until the new law is set to be enacted, Lieutenant Cameron Roden with the Utah Highway Patrol has detailed what it means for road users and law enforcement officers.
Not only will it set out a specific definition for road rage, but HB 30 also gives officers and courts more powers to tackle repeat and serious offenders.
The new legislature defines a Road rage event as “the commission of a criminal offense: by an operator or passenger of a vehicle; in response to an incident that occurs or escalates upon a roadway; and with the intent to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle,”
“It can be behaviors that are meant to intimidate other drivers,” Lieutenant Roden told KPCW.
“So, we’re just trying to get people to realize that these events can escalate and transpire into really serious events like we have seen lately.
“We have seen way too many of these that have gone from just a basic driving mistake and have escalated into something that could have been prevented.”
The Lieutenant explained that the new law does not criminalize any new behaviors such as tailgating, extreme speeds, and cutting people up.
However, “it gives officers the ability to enhance penalties,” he said.
“So, anything over a Class B, if you have some type of a violation that is a Class B, if you put the road rage enhancement that enhances it one step so it would go to a Class A, and Class A could go to a third-degree felony,” the highway patrol officer explained.
However, Class C violations are not included in the bill and will not be subject to an enhancement.
Such increases can also see those prosecuted for road rage offenses receive increased fines and even jail time.
It could be an additional $500 or $750 in fines or more jail time for “most serious cases” Rep. Paul Cutler, the bill’s sponsor, previously explained to KSTU.
He added that this money from the fines will go towards road rage education and prevention.
Tips on diffusing road rage incidents:
Lieutenant Roden offered the following advice to drivers to stay safe on the roads and avoid dangerous road rage situations.
Call 911 and inform the police if you see any aggressive behavior so they can respond to the incident.
Do not try to handle the situation yourself.
Do not retaliate as any type of retaliation can escalate the situation and then make that person part of the problem so they could also face charges or violations themselves.
If you are being targeted by road rage, slow down, let them go down the road, do not try to follow them.
Be calm and keep your emotions in check.
Be informed about road rage and learn how to spot the warning signs.
As well as this, Roden explained that there are increased sanctions on driver’s licenses and vehicles can be impounded.
“On a first offense, if a judge feels that the offense was egregious enough, he can now order a suspension,” Roden said.
“And, if we start to get repeat offenders there’s also further driver license sanctions that can be put into place so that we can make sure we are getting these repeat offenders and really aggressive people off the road.”
When addressing the impounding of vehicles involved in road rage, the officer explained that it would help them “get people to realize that these situations have a lot of tragic things that can transpire.”
“We want them to really think about what is going on out there and think twice before letting their emotions get the best of them,” he said.
Over the coming weeks, the Utah Highway Patrol will be introducing more public education about the new law including its definitions and its penalties.
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