A Pennsylvania lawmaker is proposing tougher penalties for drivers involved in deadly crashes.
State Sen. Judy Ward (R-Miffflin and Juniata counties) introduced new legislation inspired by families in her local communities losing a loved one, aimed at closing what she calls a gap in the state’s vehicle code.
Jean Compton’s life changed forever on the way to a doctor’s appointment in Hershey in August 2025.
“And then my whole world changed in an instant; he was gone,” Compton said.
Jean and her late husband Glenn were married 60 years when he was killed in Juniata County in a work zone crash. She was putting the vehicle’s hazard lights on to alert other drivers, when a truck smashed into them, leaving her seriously injured and in rehab for months.
“He was a wonderful person, very caring, never critical, always encouraging children and their friends as they grew up, and later grandchildren, and now both our granddaughters have had babies, and he would have been a great grandfather, and he would have been wonderful,” she said.
S.B. 1286 in Harrisburg is looking to increase accountability for drivers who cause deaths on Pennsylvania roadways. The bill is named after Jean’s husband, one of two victims whose cases highlight the issue.
Just before his 34th birthday, Kyle Costrello was killed in 2024 in Lancaster County when another driver crossed the centerline and hit his motorcycle.
“When you are taught to drive, you are taught first that you are in control of that vehicle at all times,” said Beth Moore-Weirich, Costrello’s mother said. “For this person to be able to cross the line and end up in my son’s lane of traffic and hit him head-on. I have a problem. You were doing something that you weren’t supposed to be doing, you weren’t paying attention, or you were distracted from something.”
S.B. 1286, also known as the “Kyle Costrello and Glenn Compton Law,” would strengthen penalties for drivers who cause unintentional deaths in traffic crashes.
“They can’t be distracted. They can’t drive impaired. They can’t be reckless, and so you know it’s just time after time you hear this, and these families are just feeling the pain,” said State Sen. Ward.
The bill passed through the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.
Right now, some of these cases result in minor charges like careless driving, often carrying fines that families say don’t reflect the loss of life. The driver responsible for Kyle Costrello’s crash was only fined $500.
“My son’s life is worth more than $500,” Moore-Weirich said.
Under the proposed legislation, causing an unintentional death could be charged as an ungraded misdemeanor, with penalties including fines up to $2,500 and a license suspension of up to two years.
“Kyle Costrello’s mom is a neighbor of mine, and so she and her husband lived down the street from me. This really hits close to home for me,” State Sen. Ward said.
The bill now heads to the Senate floor and would mark a significant change in how Pennsylvania handles deadly crashes.
“It’s just so instantaneous. There’s no goodbye. It’s such a void,” Compton said. “The only thing all my injuries that I had. And there were quite a few. Made me want to work. To get better, to get home, to help my family and whoever else I could help.”