WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

A 7511

Replaces each instance of the word accident with the word crash in relation to vehicle and traffic law

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Angelino and 3 co-sponsors

A 7511 would replace “accident” with “crash” in vehicle and traffic law to standardize terminology across statutes, regulations, and related materials.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 7511

Summary of Assembly Bill A 7511

Overview

A 7511 seeks to replace each instance of the word “accident” with the word “crash” in relation to vehicle and traffic law. The bill’s primary aim appears to be terminological standardization across statutes, regulations, and related materials governing road safety, enforcement, and adjudication.

Purpose and Intent

  • Primary objective: Use “crash” instead of “accident” wherever vehicle and traffic laws reference such events.
  • Rationale (as implied by title): Improve precision, consistency, and contemporary language in legal texts and related communications.

Key Provisions (conceptual)

  • Terminology update: The bill would mandate replacing “accident” with “crash” in vehicle and traffic law texts.
  • Scope: Applies to statutes and potentially associated regulations and official materials connected to vehicle and traffic law. The exact scope would be set out in the enacted text.
  • Substantive effect: Based on the title alone, the change appears to be linguistic. The bill’s text would clarify whether any existing definitions, penalties, duties, or liability standards are affected beyond terminology.

Affected Parties and Materials

  • State and local government agencies responsible for drafting and maintaining traffic statutes, regulations, and official forms.
  • Law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other legal professionals who reference vehicle and traffic law.
  • Insurance industry, legal practitioners, educators, and persons involved in road safety communications and training.
  • General public and motorists, who may encounter updated terminology in statutes, codes, forms, and educational materials.

Procedural Status and Timeline

  • Introduced: March 28, 2025.
  • Status: Referred to Transportation (committee action currently in progress).
  • Related actions: Related bills exist in prior sessions (A 7096, A 6448, A 3473, A 3839) and a Senate companion (S 7465).

Related Legislation

  • A 7096 (prior-session)
  • A 6448 (prior-session)
  • A 3473 (prior-session)
  • A 3839 (prior-session)
  • S 7465 (companion; listed twice, indicating a Senate counterpart)

Potential Impact

  • Clarity and consistency: Could reduce ambiguity in court rulings, enforcement, and public communications by standardizing terminology.
  • Administrative changes: Likely require updates to statutes, regulations, official forms, training materials, signage, computer systems, and legal templates.
  • Transitional considerations: May necessitate cross-references and thesaurus-style guidance during the transition to ensure interpretive uniformity.
  • Substantive effect: If limited to terminology, most legal duties, penalties, and liability standards would remain unchanged pending the enacted text.

Note: The exact language and any additional provisions will be determined in the bill’s full text and committee amendments. The current summary reflects the information available from the bill’s title and status.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.