BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Gov. Baker's administration introduced a road safety bill to the state legislature on Monday. The bill, officially called "An Act Relative to Improving Safety on the Roads of the Commonwealth," combines a few new and previously filed bills into one package.
The biggest change would allow the police to stop drivers for not wearing a seatbelt.
Another large change would be strengthening Haley's Law, named after 20-year-old Haley Cremer of Sharon, Mass., who was killed by a man with a suspended driver's license in 2014. The law would put harsher penalties in place for people who injure others while driving with a license that was suspended for serious traffic violations. New punishments would include a $5,000 fine and 2-10 years in prison if the driver kills someone.
Haley Cremer's father, Marc Cremer, spoke alongside the governor at a press conference on the road safety bill on Monday morning.
He said drivers who drive with a suspended license or no license at all "...are exhibiting a complete and blatant disregard for the laws of the Commonwealth and the safety of the community."
Other parts of the bill include allowing cities and towns to install cameras at traffic light intersections. The cameras would only be allowed to record drivers' license plates, and only if the driver breaks a rule of the road like running a red light.
WBZ's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports from the press conference:
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