Photo by Andrew Bossi
Good news for District cyclists: The streets will (hopefully) be a little safer now that the Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013 passed through the D.C. Council at the beginning of the month and was finally signed by Mayor Gray last Thursday.
As the Washington Area Bicyclists Association reports, this new legislation will “[introduce] two new driving infractions with appropriate penalties to protect bicyclists as vulnerable road users.” The bill, which was introduced by Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) back in February will “require the District Department of Motor Vehicles to require an applicant for an operator’s permit to demonstrate knowledge of safely sharing roadways with pedestrians and bicyclists.” Bicyclists will also now be allowed to use pedestrian traffic crossing signs for a head start, which I’m sure no one here was already doing.
The act will also make these amendments, WABA reports:
- Bicycle and pedestrian detours: The mayor will be able to require permits obtained from the District Department of Transportation for projects that block sidewalks, bike lanes, or other pedestrian or bicycle paths to provide safe accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Aligns bicyclists’ crash infractions with a similar pedestrian one: The bill adds “failure to yield” and “colliding with a bicyclist while failing to yield” infractions, similar to current pedestrian infractions. The penalty for “failing to yield” to a bicyclist would be three points points and a fine of $250. “Colliding with a person riding a bicycle” would be six points and a fine of $500.
- Ability to make an audible noise: The bill modifies the law that requires all bicycles to be equipped with a bell, instead requiring all bicycle riders to “be capable of making a warning noise either with a bell or mechanical device, or with his or her voice, audible for a distance of at least one hundred feet.” It also removes a section prohibiting bicyclists from a making a noise within the established quiet zones (Title 1
8 Section 1204.7)
The Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013 will now be submitted to Congress for a 30-day legislative review.
You can read the full Act below:
