Bill Text: NJ S1460 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Imposes certain requirements on operators of motor vehicles when overtaking pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-20 - Combined with S2208/1463 (SCS) [S1460 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S1460-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Senator NILSA CRUZ-PEREZ
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Imposes certain requirements on operators of motor vehicles when overtaking pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning motor vehicles overtaking certain pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or any other personal conveyance permitted under law shall approach with due caution and shall, absent any other direction by a law enforcement officer, proceed as follows:
(1) If possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions, make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or other personal conveyance permitted under law;
(2) Leave a reasonable and safe distance of not less than four feet while approaching the pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or other personal conveyance permitted under law and maintain a distance of at least four feet until the motor vehicle has safely passed the pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or other personal conveyance permitted under law; or
(3) If a lane change pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection or leaving a reasonable and safe distance of not less than four feet pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection is not possible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, the operator of the motor vehicle shall reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to 25 miles per hour and be prepared to stop.
b. A person violating the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500.
c. As used in this section:
"Bicycle" shall have the same meaning as set forth in R.S.39:4-14.5.
"Low-speed electric bicycle" shall have the same meaning as set forth in R.S.39:1-1.
"Low-speed electric scooter" shall have the same meaning as set forth in R.S.39:1-1.
"Pedestrian" shall include, but not be limited to, a pedestrian as defined in R.S.39:1-1, a person in a wheelchair or motorized wheelchair as defined in R.S.39:1-1, a person employed by or who contracts with any public utility company in this State, a property maintenance worker, or any other person who is permitted by law to be upon the roadway for work or recreation.
2. This act shall take
effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill imposes certain requirements on a motorist when the motorist is overtaking pedestrians, certain bicycles, low-speed electric scooters, and any other personal conveyances permitted under law.
Under the provisions of this bill, the operator of a motor vehicle approaching a pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or other personal conveyance permitted under law is required to approach with due caution and, absent any other direction by a law enforcement officer, proceed as follows: 1) If possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions, make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or other personal conveyance permitted under law; 2) Leave a reasonable and safe distance of not less than four feet while approaching the pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or other personal conveyance permitted under law and maintain this distance until the motor vehicle has safely passed; or 3) If a lane change or leaving a reasonable and safe distance of at least four feet is not possible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, the operator of the motor vehicle is to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to 25 miles per hour and be prepared to stop.
A person violating the provisions of this bill is to be subject to a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500.
Under the bill, "pedestrian" includes, but is not limited to, a pedestrian as defined under current law, a person in a wheelchair or motorized wheelchair, a person employed by or who contracts with any public utility company in this State, a property maintenance worker, or any other person who is permitted by law to be upon the roadway for work or recreation.
