VulnerableRoadUsers

PublicSafetyCommittee October22,2012

www.dallaspolice.net

DavidO.Brown 1 ChiefOfPolice

Purpose
Thepurposeofthisbriefing
Review proposed City Ordinance regarding human poweredwheeledvehicles Provideanoverviewofcurrentlaws Discussthedifferencesbetweentheproposed ordinanceandexistingstatelaw Brieflyaddressbicyclelanemarkings(fullbriefing scheduledinJanuary2013)

Goals
Protectthesafetyofbicyclistsandmotorists by
Strengtheningappropriateordinancesregulating behaviorsinthisarea Improvingpublicawarenessofbicyclistsand motoriststobemoreawareofbike lanes/markings

Bicycle/VehicleCrashReview
Lessthan1%oftrafficaccidentsinthecity involvebicyclists Causationfactorsvaryconsiderably
Mostcommonfactor(27%)involvesbicyclist enteringtheroadwayfromasidewalk

Approximately58%ofvehicle/bicycle accidentsfindthevehicleatfault(52of89 accidents)

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VulnerableRoadUserLaw
Highlightsofordinance
Limitedtohumanpoweredwheeledvehicles Definesclearlywhatisa"safepass Addressessaferightturnsinfrontofbicyclists Provisiontopreventvehiclesfromthrowingor projectingitemsatbicyclists Providesadefensetodrivers,ifbicyclistis operatinginviolationofexistinglaws

RecentStateLawActivity
AStatewideVulnerableRoadUserlawwas passedbybothhousesin2009 VetoedbytheGovernor reasonscited
Createsnewclassofroaduser Placesresponsibilityonmotorist Redundancywithexistinglaw

OtherCities/States
Asimilarlywordedordinancehasbeenpassed inseveralcitiesinTexas
NewBraunfels,Beaumont,Helotes,ElPaso, Austin,SanAntonio,Edinburg,Denton,Plano

20stateshavestatutesaddressingpassing bicyclesataspecifieddistance
Anadditional19stateshavesimilarstatutesfor safepassingwithnospecificdistancerequirement

Enforcement
Officerswillmonitorareasofheavybicycle traffic Policewillrespondtocomplaintsof bicycle/vehicleencounters Citizensretaintherighttofilecomplaints (mirrorsotherCityOrdinances)

CurrentStateLaw
Generallyplacesequalresponsibilityonthe motoristandbicyclist Protectsbicyclistsby
definingwhereintheroadwaytheymayride light/reflectorrequirements

Requiresvehiclesto
passsafelytotheleft yieldrightofwaywhenmakingarighthandturn
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Comparison
ProposedOrdinancevs.ExistingStateLaw
ProposedOrdinance DefinitionofVulnerableRoadUser defines specificallytoincludeonlyhumanpowered wheeledvehicles PassingaVulnerableRoadUser designates vacatinglanewhenpossible ExistingLaw VariousdefinitionsexistunderTexas TransportationCode Bicyclistsmustrideonrightcurboredge

SafeDistance placesrequirementondriverto Passingtotheleftatasafedistance,maintain reenterlaneatasafedistance cleardistancebetweenvehicles Rightturnsinfrontofbicyclists defineswhat isasaferightturn Throwingorprojectingitemsatbicyclists specificallyaddressed Defensetoprosecutionifbicyclistisoperating inviolationofcityordinance,stateorfederal law Operatorsshallyieldrightofwaywhenturning right Nospecificdefinitionsinstatelaw

Notspecificallyaddressedbutgenerallytreats bicyclistswiththesamerulesasvehicles

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SafeDistance
Othercitiesandstateshaveadoptedspecific distancerequirements(20states)
Planohasthreefootrequirement

19statesdonothavespecificrequirement
Noreliablemeanstomeasuredistance Determinationbyofficerofwhatisasafe distance topass

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ResponsibilityofCyclist
Chapter9oftheDallasCityCodegovernsthe operationsofcyclistsonstreetsandsidewalks withintheCity Itstatesthatbicyclistaresubjecttoalllaws applicabletoanyothervehicle Bicyclistridingonpublicsidewalksshallyieldthe rightofwaytopedestrians Bicyclistareprohibitedfromusingdefined freewaysandexpressways
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BicycleLaneMarkings
SharedLane
Atravellanethatisopenforallvehicularusewithmarkingsindicatingthe appropriatepositioningforthecyclist

BikeLanes
Abikelaneisaportionoftheroadwaydesignatedbystriping,signing,and pavementmarkingsfortheexclusiveandpreferentialuseofbicyclists

BufferedBikeLanes
Bufferedbikelanesoperateinthesamemanner asanormalbikelane,butfeature additionalspacebetweenthebikelaneandtheadjacenttravellane

CycleTracks
Acycletrackisaonewayortwowayfacilityfortheexclusiveuseofbicyclists, physicallyseparatedfrommotorvehicletraffic,andyetdistinctfromthesidewalk
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SharedLaneMarkings

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BikeLanes

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BufferedBikeLane/CycleTracks

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FutureSteps
CouncilBriefingofBikeandTrailPlan Implementation
StatusupdateonBikePlanearlyimplementation projects OutlineofTrail/BikePlanintegration FutureProjectPrioritization BicycleEducationProgram

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Summary
Theproposedordinancewillacttoaddressgapsin statelaw Givesofficersadditionalenforcementtoolsclearly definessafepassing Greaterawarenessandeducationforthepublic Possiblecourtissueswithdefiningsafedistance

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QUESTIONS?

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ProposedOrdinance
AnordinanceaddingDivision5toArticleVIofCHAPTER28,MOTORVEHICLESANDTRAFFIC, ofthe DallasCityCode;definingterms;providingrequirementsforthe safetyofvulnerableroadusers;providing apenaltynottoexceed$500;providingasavingclause;providingaseverabilityclause;andprovidingan effectivedate. BEITORDAINEDBYTHECITYCOUNCILOFTHECITYOFDALLAS: SECTION1.ThatArticleVI,OperationofVehicles, ofCHAPTER28,MOTORVEHICLESANDTRAFFIC, of theDallasCityCodeisamendedbyaddinganewDivision5,OperationofVehiclesnearVulnerableRoad Users, toreadasfollows: Division5.OperationofVehiclesnearVulnerableRoadUsers. SEC.2858.1.DEFINITION. Inthisdivision,VULNERABLEROADUSERmeansapersonoperatingabicycle,handcycle,unicycle,or otherhumanpoweredwheeledvehicleonastreetorhighway. SEC.2858.2.PROTECTIONOFVULNERABLEROADUSERS. (a)Theoperatorofamotorvehiclecommitsanoffenseif,while passingavulnerableroaduseronastreet orhighway,he: (1)failstoentirelyvacatethelaneoccupiedbythevulnerable roaduser;or (2)reentersthelaneoccupiedbythevulnerableroaduserbeforehavingpassedthevulnerableroaduser atasafedistance. (b)Theoperatororpassengerofamotorvehiclecommitsanoffenseifheknowinglythrowsorprojects anyobjectorsubstanceatoragainstavulnerableroaduser. (c)Theoperatorofamotorvehiclecommitsanoffenseifheovertakesavulnerableroadusertravelingin thesamedirectionandsubsequentlymakesarighthandturninfrontofthevulnerableroaduserunless theoperatorissafelyclearofthevulnerableroaduser,taking intoaccountthespeedatwhichthe vulnerableroaduseristravelingandthebrakingrequirementsofthevehiclemakingtherighthandturn.
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ProposedOrdinance(cont.)
(d)ItisadefensetoprosecutionunderSubsections(a)and(c) that,atthetimeoftheoffense,the vulnerableroaduserwasactinginviolationofacityordinance orstateorfederallawregulatingthe operationofbicycles. (e)ItisadefensetoprosecutionunderSubsection(a)(1)iftheoperatorofthemotorvehicle: (1)wasunabletomoveintoanadjacentlaneofthestreetorhighwayduetoaphysicalbarrieror obstructionorbecausethechangeoflaneswouldhaveviolateda cityordinanceorstateorfederallaw; and (2)passedthevulnerableroaduseratasafespeedanddistance. SECTION2.Thatapersonviolatingaprovisionofthisordinance,uponconviction,ispunishablebyafine nottoexceed$500. SECTION3.ThatChapter28oftheDallasCityCode,asamended,willremaininfullforceandeffect,save andexceptasamendedbythisordinance. SECTION4.ThatthetermsandprovisionsofthisordinanceareseverableandaregovernedbySection14 ofChapter1oftheDallasCityCode,asamended. SECTION5.Thatthisordinancewilltakeeffectimmediatelyfrom andafteritspassageandpublicationin accordancewiththeprovisionsoftheCharteroftheCityofDallas,anditisaccordinglysoordained.

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