Sen. Cicarella Applauds Transportation Committee Passage of Bill to Promote Child Safety

Bill to increase safety measures on ice cream trucks written in response to fatal incident involving Wallingford child last summer advances to senate floor

 State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-34) yesterday applauded the Transportation Committee’s unanimous passage of S.B. 608, which seeks to increase safety for children when buying ice cream from frozen dessert trucks. The bill has bipartisan support from local lawmakers and was written in response to a fatal incident in Cheshire involving a Wallingford child last summer.

“Thank you to the members of the Transportation Committee for moving this very important bill for child safety along quickly. As we approach the spring and summer, it’s important that we put added safety measures in place to protect children in our community as they enjoy one of the season’s simple pleasures: ice cream from an ice cream truck.

“There have been several incidents of children being either permanently injured or, in the most recent incident, killed while crossing the roadway away from these trucks. No child or family should have to suffer this loss. This is common-sense legislation that everyone agrees on, and I’m looking forward to the senate, house and governor to complete the process and get this law on the books,” said Sen. Cicarella.

The bill now advances to the senate floor for a vote. Earlier this week, the Transportation Committee held a public hearing on this bill and Sen. Cicarella spoke in support along with the parents of Tristan Barhorst, 10, of Wallingford who was killed in the June 2020 incident.

Senator Cicarella’s testimony can be viewed here.