Efforts & Results

On May 16, 2010, a repeat traffic offender ran a red light at high speed in Charlestown, RI. She slammed into our son, Colin B. Foote, as he crossed the intersection on his motorcycle. Colin died within 30 minutes. This particular repeat offender had 19 prior traffic citations and several other traffic stops, yet tragically, she was allowed to continue to drive on our roads.

As a result of this tragedy, new traffic safety legislation sponsored by our current Attorney General, Peter Kilmartin and Rep. Donna Walsh was passed in record time known as the Colin B. Foote Act or “Colin's Law”.  Colin's Law enables judges to adjudicate repeat offenders and order them to:

·         Pay a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000)

·         Attend sixty (60) hours of driver retraining

·         Perform up to sixty (60) hours of public community service

·         Suspend the person's operator license for up to one year

·         Or revoke their license for a period of up to two (2) years

The objective of this legislation has been an effort to change the driving behavior of egregious repeat offenders who's careless and dangerous disregard for motor vehicle laws threaten the lives of everyone's loved ones, friends and fellow citizens. It is shocking to know that nearly 500 repeat offenders have been ordered to take the 60 hour driver retraining course as mandated by the Colin B. Foote Act in the past 12 months alone. Countless other repeat offenders have been sanctioned otherwise under the Act.

Prior to ColinsLaw, repeat traffic offenders were able to “slip under the radar” undetected by paying traffic citations by mail. This has been corrected now with the passage of legislation sponsored by Rep. Donna Walsh in 2011. This law now requires that:

·         Any person who receives a third (3rd) summons within a twelve (12) month period of time, cannot plea or dispose of the charge by mail, but must appear in person before a judge at the traffic tribunal or municipal court.

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