The Maryland Senate gave its preliminary approval today to a bill that would require people charged with traffic violations in connection with a crash that killed another person to appear in court to face the charges.

The bill is a response to the frustration of the survivors of such crashes who are denied their day in court when the defendant simply mails in payment for a traffic fine -- as is permitted now.

 One of the prime movers behind the bill has been Weida Stoecker, whose husband died in a crash that was the fault of a teenager driver who was later charged with negligent driving but never appeared in court.

By emerging from the Judicial Proceedings Committee, S.B. 343 has gone a step farther than a similar bill that died in the panel last year and now needs only a favorable floor vote to pass the Senate. Still unclear are its prospects in the House.