Arizona has a law popularly referred to as the “Stupid Motorist Law“, which renders motorists liable for the cost of their rescue. A response to the flash floods common in the Southwestern U.S., the law states that should a motorist ignore barricades blocking a flooded roadway and later need to be rescued by public emergency services, those costs can be billed to the motorist. Motorists can also find themselves criminally liable under other statutory provisions for offences such as reckless driving and endangerment.
‘Stupid Motorist law’– love it! I thought this was something you had made up until I read it. Thanks for posting this–it was forwarded to me on Twitter by a friend who hopefully wasn’t commenting on my driving–and I will be checking back again to read more. J.H.