12/22/04-Gov. Ed Rendell has signed legislation giving crash investigators up to a year after an accident occurs to file summary charges.
The new law – Act 166 – extends the statute of limitations from 30 days to a year for summary traffic violations to be filed in connection with vehicle accidents involving injury or death.
“Because accidents can be horrific, involving multiple vehicles and causing death and/or serious bodily injury, it can take several months to finalize a detailed traffic investigation,” state Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford, said in a statement. Until now, “law enforcement officials had only 30 days in which to file summary charges against any motorist whom they determined may have caused an accident.”
“Act 166 now gives law enforcement the necessary time needed to complete investigations of the most difficult crashes and file related charges,” he said.
The new law – previously HB2572 – is scheduled to take effect by the end of January.