Safe Passing Bill for Texas

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Safe Passing Petition
Safe Passing Petition Signatures - Over 7,100 signatures and counting!
Safe Passing Petition Download and Web Buttons

Model Safe Passing Ordinance
Safe Passing Ordinance FAQ 2009
Safe Passing Ordinance Analysis
Safe Passing Ordinance Talking Points

Austin Police Department Letter of Support for Safe Passing Ordinance
Austin American-Statesman article on Austin's Safe Passing Ordinance 7/20/2010

BikeTexas Bike News; Advocacy; Letter from the Executive Director - June 30, 2009

Safe Passing FAQ 2009
Safe Passing in the News
BikeTexas Legislative Action Alerts and Updates
Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Data and Texas Senate Stance - Updated 8/13/2009

Safe Passing Bill SB 488 and HB 827 (2009) Language
Safe Passing Bill, SB 488 at the Texas Legislature

BikeTexas Response to Senator Shapiro's Concerns
BikeTexas Response to Senator Patrick's Concerns

Archived

Safe Passing Bill 248 (2007) Language
Safe Passing Bill 248 (2007) Amendments
Safe Passing FAQ 2007

About Safe Passing Legislation

Approximately 50 cyclists, 400 pedestrians and 500 motorcyclists are killed every year in Texas. Many of those fatalities could be prevented if the Safe Passing Bill (SB488) was enacted. (See Safe Passing FAQ 2009.)

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Many states have passed "safe passing / 3 foot laws" including: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin. In addition to being referred to as the "Safe Passing Bill", Texas' version of this legislation also become known as the "Vulnerable Road User Bill" due to the changes in the language to include pedestrians, runners, physically disabled persons, children, skaters, construction and maintenance workers, stranded motorists, equestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and unprotected farm equipment operators.

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The 2009 Texas Safe Passing bill was filed in the Senate by Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and John Carona (R-Dallas) as SB 488 on January 15th, and the companion bill was filed in the House by Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving) as HB 827 on January 27th. The final, slightly modified bill was overwhelmingly passed by both the House and Senate and sent on to the governor. It was endorsed by AAA, AARP, Texas Motorcycle Rights Association, Texas Towing and Storage Association and BikeTexas' Individual, Event, Business and Club member base. (See Safe Passing Bill, SB 488 at the Texas Legislature.)

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Even after passing the Texas House and Senate by overwhelming majorities, and after hundreds of calls of support for the bill from constituents in the final hours, Governor Rick Perry vetoed the bill on June 19, 2009. (See BikeTexas Legislative Action Alerts and Updates.)

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In addition to requiring more than three feet passing distance (six feet by commercial vehicle) when a motorist passes a vulnerable road user, the Safe Passing Bill (SB488) included penalties for the "right hook" (turning dangerously in front of a vulnerable road user), and failing to yield when making a left turn at an intersection. A violation of this law would be punishable as a misdemeanor, and if the violation results in property damage, the violation would be punishable by a fine of not to exceed $500. If the violation resulted in bodily injury, the violation is a Class B misdemeanor punished by: (1) a fine not to exceed $2,000; (2) confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days; or (3) both such fine and confinement.

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