Creates an enhanced penalty defined as "road rage" to be applied in addition to penalties for convictions of certain motor vehicle offenses.

Summary of Rhode Island "Casey's Law" – Road Rage Enhanced Penalties

This bill, known as "Casey's Law," would create a new legal category called "road rage" in Rhode Island and attach additional penalties to certain motor vehicle offenses when road rage is determined to be a factor. In other words, if someone is already convicted of a qualifying traffic or motor vehicle crime, and that behavior involved road rage, they could face extra punishment on top of whatever they would normally receive for that offense.

The bill would affect drivers in Rhode Island who commit motor vehicle offenses in an aggressive or retaliatory manner toward other people on the road. The specific offenses that would qualify for this enhanced penalty are defined in the legislation, meaning not every traffic violation would apply — only certain more serious ones where aggressive behavior played a role. Those found to have acted with road rage could face increased fines, longer license suspensions, or other additional consequences beyond the standard penalties.

This type of legislation is often referred to as an "enhanced penalty" law, similar to how some crimes carry heavier sentences when they involve additional harmful factors. The bill is currently in its early stages, having been introduced and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, with a hearing scheduled for April 2026. No final action has been taken yet, so it is not currently law in Rhode Island.