Yellow Alert Helps Prevent Hit and Run Accidents
It Also Benefits Hit and Run Accident Victims
Governor Newsom Signed The Yellow Alert Bill!
AB 1732
hit-and-run incidents: Yellow Alert
BILL SUBJECTS
Emergency Services: Hit-And-Run Incidents: Yellow Alert.
ABSTRACT
“. . .This bill would authorize a law enforcement agency to request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a Yellow Alert if a person has been killed due to a hit-and-run incident and the law enforcement agency has specified information concerning the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle. The bill would authorize the Department of the California Highway Patrol to activate a Yellow Alert within the requested geographic area upon request of the law enforcement agency if it concurs with the law enforcement agency that specified requirements are met.
This bill would also require the Department of the California Highway Patrol to track the number of Yellow Alert requests it receives from law enforcement agencies. The bill would require the Department of the California Highway Patrol to submit a final report to the Legislature of the efficacy, the advantages, and the disadvantages of the Yellow Alert System by January 1, 2026. On January 1, 2026, the provisions of this bill would be repealed.
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To learn more, here is a story from a local news agency providing more information on the topic:
https://abc30.com/new-california-law-yellow-alert-helps-track-down-hit-and-run-drivers/12064497/
HHART Needs Your Help Regarding the re-activation of the Yellow Alert System
Hit and Run Victims Need Support – Yellow Alert
Hit and run victims need additional support to help provide the aid and support that is often required after a hit and run accident. The victims of hit and run accidents are often left with thousands of dollars worth of medical bills that the other driver’s auto insurance policy should pay. Often the hit and run driver is never found. In these scenarios, the victim of the hit and run accident can face a lot of undue burdens they never accounted for. HHART believes that if our communities can work together and make it easier to find and arrest hit and run drivers, the victims have a better chance of getting the aid they rightfully need. Yellow Alert helps do exactly that.
The Yellow Alert system was proposed in 2014 as a state bill in California by Assemblyman Mike Gatto. The Yellow Alert system provides informational alerts to other drivers on the road if a hit and run accident occurs. After the hit and run accident is reported to authorities, a broadcast message would be sent out to alert cellular devices as well as displayed on digital signs along freeways, and other forms of digital media available to law enforcement agencies. The broadcast alert should provide information that can accurately identify and raise awareness of the fleeing driver, such as vehicle description and license plate information. Hopefully, as the fleeing driver is trying to get away, another driver somewhere will recognize the vehicle’s description and contact law enforcement to aid in their capture.
HHART Wants to Help
Re-Activate Yellow Alert
Assembly Bill 8 went into effect January 1, 2016. The bill added section 8594.15 to the California Government Code, creating the Yellow Alert system. There was a stipulation added to the bill that stated: “This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, delete or extends that date.” No statute was ever enacted to delete or extend the repeal date. On January 1, 2019, the Yellow Alert was effectively laid to rest and became a thing of the past. We can’t help but stop and wonder how many lives have been affected by the lack of having the Yellow Alert available. How many people got away with fleeing the scene of a hit and run accident? How many innocent people had reduced aid because the drivers were never found? HHART believes that there are too many lives that can and will benefit directly from the Yellow Alert being active. We are confident that lives will be changed if the Yellow Alert is re-activated.
If you can provide assistance with helping HHART get the
Yellow Alert reinstated, please contact us today!