The bill was written in response to the hit-and-run death of a teenager in 2022, after which the driver tried to get the vehicle fixed.
A bill recently filed in the Florida Senate would require auto body repair shops to request a written accident report before fixing a vehicle with crash damage, the News Service of Florida reported.
The bill, filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, was written after Lilly Glaubach, 13, died after being hit by a vehicle while riding her bike in August 2022. The driver fled the scene and took the vehicle to a body shop, where he claimed the damage was caused by a falling tree. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison in September 2023.
The bill would require shops to either get a written crash report from the customer or law enforcement.
It is set to be considered during the upcoming 2024 legislative session.
Abby Andrews