October 7, 2019
The continuing investigation into Boston’s Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) following the New Hampshire crash that killed seven, revealed that employees knew of computer problems a year before the crash. The inquiry into the RMV follows a tragic New Hampshire accident when a truck driver under the influence of drugs crossed a highway and collided and killed seven motorcyclists. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted a detailed investigation of the accident and discovered that the truck driver’s serious traffic and safety violations dated back to 2012. The truck driver obtained a commercial driver’s license despite his disturbing driving and criminal history.
The RMV has been under scrutiny following this accident because it is unclear why a driver with prior arrests in six states for various drug and driving offenses was able to obtain a license. The former head of the RMV admitted that it was her understanding that the agency did not process out-of-state driving histories and notifications until she took over in 2015. She claimed that she began addressing the issue, however, the agency lacked the resources to keep up with the backlog.
According to a recent news report, more recent investigations uncovered a 2018 email written by an RMV officer in which he noted that there were “serious problems” with the agency’s computer system. The email was written in 2018 and forwarded to various RMV employees. It referenced the various lapses and divergence from policies and procedures. The hearings officer also questioned why Massachusetts driving records did not indicate that drivers had out-of-state violations. However, despite being informed that there was a problem with their reporting system, no one at the RMV took steps to address and correct the problem.
The officer’s email also referenced the Lacey Packer Law. This law was enacted after a drunk driver with an out-of-state license suspension struck and killed a young New Hampshire girl. The bill was designed to allow states to share driving and criminal histories. The law states that generally license revocations in other states would be enforced in Massachusetts. However, without oversight, it is impossible to implement and enforce these laws. This email has brought into question the Transportation Secretary and Governor’s assertion that they did not know about the backlog.
This tragic case exemplifies how a government agency’s failure to act can have disastrous consequences. When a person suffers an injury because of a government agency’s tortious conduct, the victim should contact an attorney to discuss their rights and remedies.
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