Relates to special provisions for the operation of bicycles when approaching stop signs and traffic-control signals including steady circular red signals and red arrow signals.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7071
SPONSOR: McMahon (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera-
tion of bicycles at stop signs and traffic-control signals
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would help cyclists share the roadways by giving them greater
flexibility at intersections to yield safely at stop signs rather than
having to make a hard stop. It would also allow cyclists to treat a red
light as a stop sign.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
New section 1231-a is added to the vehicle and traffic law; which under
what circumstances a person operating a. bicycle approaching at an
intersection may either stop or slow down to yield the right a bicycle
Subsection 2 outlines under what circumstances a person operating may
stop and yield at a red traffic control device.
JUSTIFICATION:
In many parts of New York State, cyclists and drivers share roadways.
Policies that allow cars and bicycles to operate safely in close proxim-
ity are necessary as we take steps to encourage more commuter traffic
via bicycle. Vehicle traffic moves much faster and sometimes more unpre-
dictably than cycle traffic. Cyclists can find themselves at a disadvan-
tage in traffic with safety implications for all road users. The Idaho
Stop, first enacted by the State of Idaho in 1982, allows more flexibil-
ity for cyclists by conserving their momentum and helping to keep them
out of the way of heavy, automotive traffic. Most importantly, the Idaho
Stop works. A 2010 study by the University of California Berkeley found
that cycling injuries in the state dropped by 14 percent after the law's
enactment. Giving cyclists greater flexibility at stop signs and stop-
lights will enhance road safety for both cyclists and drivers.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A9123 of 2019-20;
A3104A of 2021-22;
A3986 of 2023-24
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
30 days after becoming law
