Changes to rules of the road meant to protect the people walking or biking down the street were narrowly approved by the Virginia State Senate this week. One bill would block drivers from using the bike lane to go around a car that is stopped or turning left while also removing mopeds from bike lanes.
Democratic Sen. Scott Surovell, of Fairfax, said that, “The bill makes clear that you’re not allowed to pass somebody on the right using a bicycle lane — that’s one of the most dangerous maneuvers a car can do to put a bicycle in jeopardy. Most drivers don’t look to their right when they’re looking to execute a right turn, they don’t think about the bike coming up on the right. It’s very dangerous behavior. It’s a huge problem in Northern Virginia in terms of cars using the bike lanes to pass cars on the right, and it simply makes it clear that’s a traffic offense.”
The Republican Sen. Bill Carrico, of southwest Virginia, opposed the bill, arguing that the new rules of the bill could confuse drivers.
A separate Surovell bill also was narrowly approved by the Senate this week would create a specific traffic violation for the distracted or careless drivers who strike a “vulnerable road user” in a crash that causes serious bodily injuries. A number of other states now have similar laws protecting the people legally walking, biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, using a wheelchair, riding a foot-scooter, riding a horse or an animal-drawn vehicle.
Surovell said if the bill becomes a law, it could set the standards that could help victims win civil suits against drivers for damages too.
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The GOP Sen. Ryan McDougle said that, the existing laws should be enough, since the drivers can be charged with reckless driving in the most serious cases.
Surovell responded saying that, “Reckless driving doesn’t work often in cycling cases,” because there is no enough evidence.
The penalties in Surovell’s bill would only apply to the drivers who are careless or distracted.The House of Delegates is dealing with number of bills that would change what counts as distracted driving when it comes to the use of cellphones and other types of digital devices behind the wheel.
A bill approved 80-18 in the House would provide a new exception for using screens that are factory-installed in the car.
Another bill that was advanced on Wednesday by a subcommittee would expand the Virginia’s existing ban on texting or emailing while driving to include tapping of icons rather than just entering text and to clearly include the time a car is stopped in traffic or at the light. The bill would maintain an exception for the use of navigation apps while driving.
By Mrudula.
