There’s a lot of talk in the news since Ted Kennedy died about how we can best honor his memory. I think there’s a great way to do it and one we should already be working on.
It goes like this.
If you knowingly leave the scene of an accident involving your motor vehicle for which you were the cause before authorities arrive and without reporting it, you will serve a minimum of 3 years in prison.
If said accident causes injury to another person, you shall serve a minimum of 5 years in prison.
If said accident causes permanent injuries (paralysis, as an example), you shall serve a minimum of 10 years in prison.
If said accident causes death to any party, you will serve a minimum of 15 years in prison.
If your negligence in reporting the accident is a contributing factor to the death of any party in the accident, you will serve a minimum of 25 years in prison.
For any of the above conditions, if you’re found to be intoxicated during the accident and alcohol or drugs are found to be a contributing cause of the accident, you must serve out an additional 15 years on top of any sentence handed down by the courts.
I’m not a heartless man, though. I’ll even let them call it Teddy’s Law.
I’ll take no credit for it whatsoever.