Photo by Andrew Pasko-Reader.

The D.C. Council passed a bill that will make it easier for cyclists and pedestrians to receive compensation in the case of a crash with a car.

The District’s law previously required drivers to be entirely at fault for a collision for those on bike or foot to be eligible for any relief. That meant that if a cyclist or pedestrian was deemed even slightly responsible for the crash, they wouldn’t see a dime in damages. Bike advocates have prioritized passing a bill to change that standard since 2014.

Under the Motor Vehicle Collision Recovery Act of 2015, though, people are eligible for full compensation if they are found under 50 percent responsible for a crash. Mayor Muriel Bowser signaled her support for the bill in a tweet after it passed unanimously on a first vote in July, before the council went on recess.

The bill unanimously passed on its second reading today, and goes now to the mayor’s office for a signature.

Insurance companies and the AAA-Atlantic lobbied against changing the law, arguing that it would amount to an increase in auto insurance premiums. D.C. recently dropped four slots in Bicycling magazine’s list of the country’s top cities for biking, but there’s no indication that contributory negligence had anything to do with the 9th place finish.

Members of the D.C. bike community are celebrating their victory.

So hats off to everyone who wrote letters, made phone calls, and showed up at hearings and rallies—you’ve made our laws fairer. Thank you!

— WABA (@WABADC) September 20, 2016