Welcome to SafePassing.com!
Safe Passing. Shawnee Trail Cycling Club's mission involves promoting efforts to educate and inform cyclists in all aspects of cycling safety. Along that line, we have created these pages to provide information to cyclists everywhere regarding safe passing efforts, those in place and others in various stages of proposal. Across the country, states have been developing and implementing laws that are intended to make cycling safer on our roads.
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Countries with Active Safe Passing Efforts
The focus in the United States has been on establishing laws that govern what constitutes "safe passing", when a motor vehicle must pass a bicycle or other vulnerable road user. The states have each approached this issue in a different manner, most amending existing traffic code to include verbage related to a "safe passing distance" and some that actually define that distance.
Latest Updates
March 2013, Unprotected Road Users Act introduced into Texas House and Senate
Dec 12th, 2012, Dallas Texas approves Vulnerable Road Users Ordinance
Sep 28th, 2012 California Governor does not sign SB1464
Sep 12th, 2012 Fort Wayne, IN City Council approves Safe Passing Ordinance
The most common separation required between a motor vehicle and bicycle is 3 ft, although some states require more. Pennsylvania's recent law uses 4 ft and New Hampshire requires an additional 1 ft for each 10 mph over a speed of 30 mph. Dallas, Tx has taken a unique approach in that there is no distance specified for a car passing a bicycle, but the car must vacate the lane. In any event, most states that don't have a current safe passing law on the books have ongoing initiatives to pass one through their respective legislatures. We've accumulated a list of states and their current status. Follow the links, where available for more information. Visit our site often as we document more efforts across the state to make the roads a little safer for all. As always, if you find an error or omission, let us know.
| |
State |
Year |
|
Car |
Truck |
Non-cyclists |
Bill |
| |
Arizona |
2000 |
|
A Safe Distance |
A Safe Distance |
HB2625 |
| |
Colorado |
2009 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
SB148 |
| |
Delaware |
2011 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
SB38 |
| |
Georgia |
2011 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
HB180 |
| |
Illinois |
2007 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
SB0080 |
| |
Louisianna |
2009 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
HB725 |
| |
Maryland |
2010 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
Y |
| |
Mississippi |
2010 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
| |
Missouri |
2005 |
|
A Safe Distance |
A Safe Distance |
| |
Nebraska |
2012 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
Y |
LB1030 |
| |
Nevada |
2011 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
Y |
SB248 |
| |
New York |
2010 |
|
A Safe Distance |
A Safe Distance |
| |
Oklahoma |
2006 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
HB2926 |
| |
Oregon |
2007 |
|
A Safe Distance |
A Safe Distance |
| |
Pennsylvania |
2012 |
|
4 ft |
4 ft |
HB170 |
| |
Rhode Island |
2002 |
|
A Safe Distance |
A Safe Distance |
31-15-4 |
| |
South Carolina |
2008 |
|
A Safe Distance |
A Safe Distance |
56-5-1840 |
| |
Tennessee |
2007 |
|
3 ft |
3 ft |
HB235 |
* Utah wording: An operator of a motor vehicle may not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly operate a motor vehicle within three feet of a moving bicycle, unless the operator of the motor vehicle operates the motor vehicle within a reasonable and safe distance of the bicycle.
We'll update this table with information and links as we get them. If you have more current updates, let us know.
You can now reach this page two directions.
The first is through the Shawnee Trail Cycling Club Advocacy domain.
The latest method, and please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested, is through the newly acquired domain www.safepassing.com.
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1 New information, follow link
Comments
Brian Geisel said on 5.02.2012 at 8:13 AM
Excellent information for getting the word out for safer passing!
Nice related brief trail passing video for cyclists passing pedestrians also at: www.youtube.com/.../watch