NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A547
SPONSOR: Steck TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to operators of
a vehicle overtaking a bicycle from behind
PURPOSE:
To amend the vehicle and traffic law to allow a safe passing distance
for motorists from bicyclists who share the roadway.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Section 1122-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by
chapter 413 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
§ 1122-a. Overtaking a bicycle. The operator of a vehicle overtaking,
from behind, a bicycle proceeding on the same side of a roadway shall
pass to the left of such bicycle at a distance of not less than three
feet until safely clear thereof.
Section 2. Effective Date
JUSTIFICATION:
With the Department of Transportation actively installing bike lanes on
state roadways throughout the state, this legislation is timely and
necessary to support the increased bicycle traffic. A specific distance,
three feet, was chosen in order to provide an easily understood distance
for motorists. Specifying three feet as the minimum passing distance
provides adequate space for bicyclists to safely travel on the road.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2016
2017/18
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect the 180th day after becoming law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
547
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 6, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STECK, BRONSON, CAHILL, ENGLEBRIGHT, FAHY,
GUNTHER, PALMESANO, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to operators of
a vehicle overtaking a bicycle from behind
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1122-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by
2 chapter 413 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 1122-a. Overtaking a bicycle. The operator of a vehicle overtaking,
4 from behind, a bicycle proceeding on the same side of a roadway shall
5 pass to the left of such bicycle at a [safe] distance of not less than
6 three feet until safely clear thereof.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
8 it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03980-01-1
