HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2137 FILED ON: 1/15/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3073
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
David M. Rogers
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to protect vulnerable road users.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
David M. Rogers | 24th Middlesex | 1/15/2015 |
Sean Garballey | 23rd Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Jason M. Lewis | Fifth Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Ruth B. Balser | 12th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Paul A. Schmid, III | 8th Bristol | 1/26/2015 |
Leonard Mirra | 2nd Essex | 12/17/2019 |
Timothy R. Madden | Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket | 12/17/2019 |
John C. Velis | 4th Hampden | 12/17/2019 |
Gailanne M. Cariddi | 1st Berkshire | 12/17/2019 |
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. | 12th Hampden | 12/17/2019 |
Peter V. Kocot | 1st Hampshire | 12/17/2019 |
Carole A. Fiola | 6th Bristol | 12/17/2019 |
Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Elizabeth A. Poirier | 14th Bristol | 12/17/2019 |
Aaron Vega | 5th Hampden | 12/17/2019 |
Josh S. Cutler | 6th Plymouth | 12/17/2019 |
Jeffrey N. Roy | 10th Norfolk | 12/17/2019 |
Kay Khan | 11th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Frank I. Smizik | 15th Norfolk | 12/17/2019 |
Jonathan Hecht | 29th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Daniel M. Donahue | 16th Worcester | 12/17/2019 |
Kenneth I. Gordon | 21st Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Jay D. Livingstone | 8th Suffolk | 12/17/2019 |
Danielle W. Gregoire | 4th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Bradford R. Hill | 4th Essex | 12/17/2019 |
Daniel Cullinane | 12th Suffolk | 12/17/2019 |
Shawn Dooley | 9th Norfolk | 12/17/2019 |
Denise Provost | 27th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
Chris Walsh | 6th Middlesex | 12/17/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2137 FILED ON: 1/15/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3073
By Mr. Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3073) of David M. Rogers and others for legislation to define and further protect vulnerable persons on the roads of the Commonwealth. Transportation. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
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An Act to protect vulnerable road users.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1: Section 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following sentence:
“Vulnerable user” means (a) a pedestrian, including those persons actually engaged in work upon a way, or in work upon utility facilities along a way, or engaged in the provision of emergency services within the way; or (b) a person operating a bicycle, handcycle, tricycle, skateboard, roller skates, in-line skates, non-motorized scooter, wheelchair, electric personal assistive mobility device, horse-drawn carriage, motorized bicycle, motorized scooter, farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use, or motorcycle; or (c) a person riding an animal.
SECTION 2: Section 14 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by replacing the sentence:
In approaching or passing a person on a bicycle the operator of a motor vehicle shall slow down and pass at a safe distance and at a reasonable and proper speed.
with the sentence:
In approaching or passing a vulnerable user (as defined in Section 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws), the operator of a motor vehicle shall slow down and pass at a safe distance and at a reasonable and proper speed, where a safe distance is defined as at least three feet when the motor vehicle is traveling at thirty miles per hour or less, and one additional foot of clearance is required for every ten miles per hour above thirty miles per hour.
SECTION 3: Section 2 of Chapter 89 of the General Laws is hereby amended by replacing the sentence:
If it is not possible to overtake a bicycle or other vehicle at a safe distance in the same lane, the overtaking vehicle shall use all or part of an adjacent lane if it is safe to do so or wait for a safe opportunity to overtake.
with the sentence:
If it is not possible to overtake a vulnerable user (as defined in Section 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws) or other vehicle at a safe distance (as defined in Section 14 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws) in the same lane, the overtaking vehicle shall use all or part of an adjacent lane, crossing the centerline if necessary, if it is safe to do so or wait for a safe opportunity to overtake.