HB1486

House Bill 1486, known as 'Ashton's and Abbie's Law,' amends Arkansas law regarding distracted driving. It establishes a definition for 'serious physical injury' in the context of traffic-related offenses. The bill increases penalties for individuals who use a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle if that behavior results in a collision or accident. Specifically, it mandates a doubling of standard fines for such violations and requires law enforcement to document device usage on accident reports. Furthermore, if a distracted driving-related collision results in the serious physical injury or death of another person, the offender can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. Finally, courts are granted the authority to mandate up to 100 hours of public service work as an additional penalty for these violations.