What is the Colin Foote Act in Rhode Island for Multiple Moving Violations?

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What is the Colin Foote Act in Rhode Island for Multiple Moving Violations?

In 2010, Rhode Island enacted the Colin Foote Act. The law was created to punish habitual traffic offenders and enacted strict penalties. This law essentially says if you get four moving violations within 18 months, you can receive heightened penalties for violating this law.

What are the Penalties for Colin Foote in Rhode island?

The penalties include the following:

a fine of up to $1,000;

60 hours of a driver retraining course;

60 hours of community service;

a license suspension of up to 1 year;

a license revocation of up to 2 years.

What is the Law Regarding Colin Foote in Rhode Island?

Judges at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal and the various Municipal Courts take this law very seriously and the prosecution has to prove that you have violated this law by clear and convincing evidence.

The law for Colin Foote comes from Rhode Island General Laws § 31-27-24. Multiple moving offenses.

Subsection (a) states: “Every person convicted of moving violations on four (4) separate and distinct occasions within an eighteen (18) month period may be fined up to one thousand dollars ($1,000), and shall be ordered to attend sixty (60) hours of driver retraining, shall be ordered to perform sixty (60) hours of public community service, and the person’s operator license in this state may be suspended up to one year or revoked by the court for a period of up to two (2) years. Prior to the suspension or revocation of a person’s license to operate within the state, the court shall make specific findings of fact and determine if the person’s continued operation of a motor vehicle would pose a substantial traffic safety hazard.”

The offenses that are prescribed in the law as “moving violations” are the following:

(1) 31-13-4. Obedience to devices.

(2) 31-14-1. Reasonable and prudent speeds.

(3) 31-14-2. Prima facie limits.

(4) 31-14-3. Conditions requiring reduced speeds.

(5) 31-15-5. Overtaking on the right.

(6) 31-15-11. Laned roadways.

(7) 31-15-12. Interval between vehicles.

(8) 31-15-16. Use of emergency break-down lane for travel.

(9) 31-17-4. Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection.

(10) 31-20-9. Obedience to stop signs.

(11) 31-27.1-3. “Aggressive driving” defined.

It is important that you drive carefully, but if you find yourself charged with violating the Colin Foote Act, do not hesitate to contact an experienced Rhode Island Traffic Offense Lawyer today. Contact Ellison Law LLC today at 401-230-5520.

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