Bill > H0231

This bill aims to enhance penalties for traffic violations that result in serious bodily injury or death, particularly to vulnerable road users. It defines "serious bodily injury" as an injury creating a substantial risk of death, disfigurement, or prolonged impairment, excluding the at-fault driver. The bill reclassifies certain noncriminal traffic infractions that cause serious bodily injury or death as first-degree misdemeanors if the driver has a prior conviction for a similar offense within five years, leading to a driver's license suspension and requiring re-examination. It also mandates that law enforcement officers note on citations when a violation of passing laws or careless driving contributed to the bodily injury of a "vulnerable user of a public roadway," which includes pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and operators of certain farm equipment or mobility devices. Furthermore, the bill clarifies rules for passing bicycles and other vulnerable users, requiring a minimum of three feet of space, and expands exceptions to no-passing zones to accommodate safe passing of vulnerable road users. Finally, it requires a mandatory hearing for infractions that contribute to the bodily injury of a vulnerable road user.