Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicle's Bicycle Driver's Manual: Driving in a lane that is separate from and adjacent to a designated bicycle lane; Driving at a speed not greater than fifteen miles per hour; or. California requires that any person under the age of 18 riding a bicycle, as an operator or passenger, must wear a protective bicycle helmet. 13 02.495(d). Pay a monetary penalty of five thousand dollars, which may not be reduced to an amount less than one thousand dollars; and. Michigan does not have any vulnerable road user laws at this time. However, the District of Columbia does require that a person shall operate a bicycle in a safe and non-hazardous manner so as not to endanger himself or herself or any other person. It shall not be a defense for a motorist causing an accident with a bicycle that the bicycle was to the right of vehicular traffic. When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if such overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane; When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or. Site design by Language Dept. Texas does provide enhanced penalties when a person driving hits a person operating a bicycle in a crosswalk and causes bodily injury or serious bodily injury. California requires that a bicyclist, traveling at a speed less than the speed of traffic, must ride as far to the right as practicable. In Maryland, bicycles are defined as vehicles. ), available here: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-484B.html, or here: http://search.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS.html. 18 1200; 1201. New Jerseys two-tiered classification system exempts low-speed e-bikes, which have a maximum operating speed of 20 MPH, from registration, licensure and insurance requirements. In South Dakota bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles. Bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated and operating a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances may result in severe punishments. Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee and D.C. require riders under age 16 to wear a helmet. However, Montana does include distracted driving in its traffic education curriculum. When a roadway is designated and signposted to carry traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, in which case a bicyclist may ride as near to the left-hand curb, on the edge of the roadway, or on the shoulder off of such roadway as practicable. North Carolina requires that any person under the age of 16 riding a bicycle, as an operator or passenger, must wear a protective bicycle helmet. Nevertheless bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated. North Carolina offers Share the Road license plates. The Pennsylvania Bicycle Drivers Manual advises that a bicyclist that is not detected by a traffic light may legally proceed through a red light. The operator of a bicycle emerging from, or entering an alley, driveway, or building, shall upon approaching a sidewalk, or the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway, yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians approaching on said sidewalk, and upon entering the roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on said roadway, to the extent necessary to safely enter the flow of traffic. A bicyclist approaching a steady red traffic control light shall stop before entering the intersection and shall yield to all other traffic. Ann. In Rhode Island bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles and a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of a driver of a vehicle under Chapters 12 through 27 of Title 31 of the Rhode Island Statutes, except for special regulations specific to bicycles and those provisions that by their nature can have no application. California, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia require the operator and all passengers of class three electric bicycles, regardless of age, to wear protective headgear. Att'yGen. Delaware prohibits any person from riding a bicycle on a roadway while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and/or narcotic drugs to a degree which renders such person a hazard. Connecticut provides that the driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the highway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle. Stat. No operator of a commercial motor vehicle shall engage in texting while driving. The issuance of a citation for failure to wear a required helmet shall not be prima facie evidence of negligence. Arizona does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane. No person shall operate a motor vehicle while using any portable electronic device while such vehicle is in motion. Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Dakota and Utah require helmets for those under age 18 operating or riding on a class three e-bike. . A person under the age of 19 years who holds an instruction permit, or a person under the age of 19 years who holds a graduated license, may not drive a vehicle on a roadway while using a wireless phone; A person, regardless of age, may not use a wireless telephone at any time while operating a motor vehicle on a roadway in a school speed zone, or in a roadway work zone; A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device to compose, send, or read an electronic message; A school bus driver may not operate a school bus while using a cellular radio telecommunication device; and, A commercial motor vehicle operator may not use a hand-held mobile phone or engage in texting while driving. Generally, Illinois does not provide any modifications to the requirement to come to a complete stop when directed to stop by traffic control devices and does not authorize bicyclists to disobey traffic lights that fail to detect bicyclists. In addition,no person shall leave the door of a motor vehicle open for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers and in such a manner as to cause physical contact with moving traffic with such door. Ann. 1-217; 11-1502. Source: Alaska Stat. Hawaiis law does not include restrictions on where e-bikes may operate. Texas does not have a law that sets a specific distance for a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle. Oklahoma currently has the following laws aimed at distracted driving, subject to limited exceptions: Source: Okla. Stat. There are currently no national standards for laws protecting vulnerable road users, but the League of American Bicyclists has drafted a Model Vulnerable Road User statute,which you can findhere. An operator may not use a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle within a school crossing zone unless the vehicle is stopped; or the wireless communication device is used with a hands-free device. Source: D.C. Code 50-2201.02(9); D.C. Code Mun. 29-A 2116; 2118; 2119. Pennsylvania provides that its state traffic laws shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities on streets or highways within their physical boundaries from the reasonable exercise of their police powers. A motor producing less than four gross brake horsepower and an automatic transmission. District Department of Transportation Bicycle Law website: Washington Area Bicyclist Association Bike Law resources: Potomac Pedalers Summary of Bicycling Laws: Education and awareness programs, for bicycle safety and motorist safety, with emphasis on sharing the roadway by all users. See our privacy policy. Once the person has yielded, he may proceed through the steady red light with caution; However, a person making a right-hand turn must only slow to a reasonable speed and yield the right-of-way if required before cautiously making such a turn; and. Idaho currently prohibits texting while driving a moving motor vehicle, unless accomplished voice or a hands free device. Arkansas does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane. Source: N/A, Alaska prohibits the driving of a motor vehicle with an operating video display displaying non-authorized information that is in full view of a driver in a normal driving position while the motor vehicle is being driven. Rev. Source: Okla. Stat. Electric-assisted bicycles (e-bikes) are increasing in popularity and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources is in the process of assessing changes to how they are managed. Stat. Source: Idaho Code Ann. ), available here http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/mscode/. Regs. 40-1-1(75); 40-6-291. 41-6a-102(72); 41-6a-1102. New Mexico does not have a law that sets a specific distance for a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle. Ann. yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian; and. Utah requires that in all circumstances, including when overtaking a bicyclist, an operator of a motor vehicle may not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly operate a motor vehicle within three feet of a moving bicycle, unless the operator of the motor vehicle operates the motor vehicle within a reasonable and safe distance of the bicycle. Rev. 23 1033; 1035. Bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated and operating a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances may result in severe punishments.Source: Ala. Code 32-5A-191; 22-27-90, "Idaho Stop" and Vehicle Detection Errors, Alabama does not provide any modifications to the requirement to come to a complete stop when directed to stop by traffic control devices and does not authorize bicyclists to disobey traffic lights that fail to detect bicyclists. To accomplish safe passing a motor vehicle may cross the center of the highway if the left side is clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance to permit overtaking and passing to be completed without interfering with the operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction or of any vehicle overtaken. The laws regulating the operation of bicycles in the state of West Virginia are generally found in Chapter 17C of the West Virginia Code (W. Va. Code), available here: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/Code.cfm. Nevada does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane. It is legal for all persons of any age to operate a bicycle without wearing a helmet unless otherwise provided by a municipal regulation. As of June 2015, all but three states have motorcycle helmet laws in place (GHSA, Helmet Laws, 2015). Maryland also protects bicyclists specifically by providing that: Source: Md. 169.18 subd. Code Ann. Code tit. Additionally, in South Dakota, any passenger on a class three e-bike, regardless of age, must wear a helmet. A segway; or13. However, Arizona's law requiring three feet between an overtaking motor vehicle and a bicycle provides penalties for a violation of that requirement that results in injury and those penalties do not apply if the bicyclist who is injured was in a vehicular traffic lane when a designated bicycle lane or path is present and passable. The holder of an intermediate license may not operate a moving motor vehicle while using a wireless communications device unless the holder is using the device to report illegal activity, summon medical or other emergency help, or prevent injury to a person or property. A court may also impose: 1) License suspension; and 2) An order of restitution. Source: Fla. Stat. All laws mentioned here were compiled as part of a research project in the fall of 2012 and may be subject to change. Rev. In Idaho bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles and a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle as provided in Chapters 49-6 and 49-8 of the Idaho Statutes, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Source: Tex. In addition, no person shall allow any door on the side of a vehicle adjacent to moving traffic to remain open for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers. Stat. A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or while crossing a roadway in a crosswalk shall have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances, except that the bicyclist must yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk or crosswalk. State law and common sense require that bicyclists drive like other vehicles. Ann. A bicyclist operating on a crosswalk or sidewalk shall yield the right of way to a vehicle if crossing the road at a point other than within a marked crosswalk or withing an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. 13 02.400, In Alaska, bicycles are defined as vehicles. South Dakota requires that a bicyclist, traveling at a speed less than the speed of traffic, must ride as close as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway except under any of the following circumstances: South Dakota allows bicycles to operate on sidewalks subject to the following rules: Source: S.D. Indiana specifically authorizes that a local authority, with respect to private roads and highways under the authority's jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power, may regulate the operation of bicycles and require the registration and licensing of bicycles, including the requirement of a registration fee. A person riding a bicycle shall dismount before entering any crosswalk where required by official traffic control devices or local ordinances. 39:4-97.3; 39:3B-25; 39:3-13.2a; 39:3-13.4; 27:25-5.18. In addition, no person shall leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers. An individual who is lawfully operating or riding any of the following on a highway, shoulder, crosswalk, or sidewalk: (i) a bicycle, (ii) a farm tractor or farm equipment, (iii) a play vehicle, (iv) a motor scooter, (v) a motorcycle, (vi) an animal-drawn vehicle, (vii) an EPAMD (electric personal assistive mobility device), or (viii) a wheelchair. 31-5-102; 31-5-233. Conditions that may require riding away from the edge of the roadway include including a lane that is too narrow for the bicycle and an overtaking vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane. Code Ann. State legislatures have begun to grapple with how to differentiate and define e-bikes and regulate their operation and equipment standards on roadways and trails in their respective states. In California the definition of vehicle does not include a bicycle, but bicyclists may be protected from thrown substances by being granted all the rights of a driver of a vehicle. Motorized bicycle need not be registered, titled, or display a license plate. Regulating the operation of bicycles and requiring their registration and inspection, and the payment of a reasonable registration fee is presumed to be reasonable exercises of police power. Hawaii provides that its state traffic laws shall not be deemed to prevent counties with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction from regulating the operation and equipment of and requiring the registration and inspection of bicycles, including the requirement of a registration fee. Louisiana requires that any person under the age of 12 riding a bicycle, as an operator or passenger, must wear a protective bicycle helmet. This general prohibition does not prevent the use of hands-free wireless telephone. Stat. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand edge including, those caused by a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane. Washington requires that no person open the door of a motor vehicle on the side adjacent to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic. Source: Pennsylvania Bicycle Drivers Manual, available at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/docs/pamanual.pdf. Source: Ariz. Rev. Colorado does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane. Laws regulating vehicles are also generally applicable to bicycles and are found in the Kentucky Revised Statutes (Ky. Rev. Yields the right of way to the driver of any vehicle approaching on such other highway from either direction. Nevertheless bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated. Compilation of laws by Iowa Bicycle Coalition: Iowa Department of Transportation Bike Resources: No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a public road or highway while using a wireless communications device to write, send or read a written communication; An instruction permit holder shall not operate a wireless communication device while driving a passenger car; A farm permit holder shall not operate a wireless communication device while driving a motor vehicle; and. This requirement is currently scheduled to expire in 2018. 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