Bill > H408

This bill aims to enhance the safety of bicyclists by amending existing law to explicitly include them alongside pedestrians in rules regarding yielding at crosswalks. Specifically, it modifies Chapter 89, Section 11, to ensure that drivers of vehicles must yield to bicyclists crossing the roadway in marked crosswalks, just as they are required to yield to pedestrians. The bill clarifies that a bicyclist having a yield or stop sign at a crossing will not be a valid defense for a driver involved in a crash or collision at that marked crossing. Furthermore, it mandates that law enforcement investigate injuries to bicyclists in marked crosswalks caused by motor vehicles and issue appropriate civil or criminal citations, without preventing prosecutors from pursuing more serious charges if warranted. Violations of this section are punishable by a fine of up to $200.