SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2060        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2335

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Adam G. Hinds

_________________

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 promoting bicycle safety.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Adam G. Hinds

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2060        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2335

By Mr. Hinds, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2335) of Adam G. Hinds for legislation to promote bicycle safety.  Transportation.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2097 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act promoting bicycle safety.

 

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, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Transporter” the following definition:-

“Vulnerable user”, (i) a pedestrian, including a person actually engaged in work upon a way or upon utility facilities along a way or engaged in the provision of emergency services within the way; or (ii) a person operating a bicycle, handcycle, tricycle, skateboard, roller skates, in-line skates, non-motorized scooter, wheelchair, electric personal assistive mobility device, horse, horse-drawn carriage, motorized bicycle, motorized scooter or farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use.

SECTION 2. Section 14 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:-

In passing a vulnerable user the operator of a motor vehicle shall pass at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet when the motor vehicle is traveling at 30 miles per hour or less, with 1 additional foot of clearance for every 10 miles per hour that the vehicle is traveling above 30 miles per hour.

SECTION 3. The department of transportation shall erect and maintain proper signage along public ways as it considers necessary to notify operators of motor vehicles to share the road with vulnerable users from a safe distance, as required by section 2.