Bike Safety Bill

The Bicycle Safety Bill has been moved to a new committee chaired by Rep. Mark Smith. There is a 2 PM meeting in Rm 103, Supreme Court Chamber of the Human Resources Committee to assign the bill to a subcommittee.

We need to start e-mail rolling to all of our legislators. If we don't, this bill will not be allowed for debate. Visit http://www.legis.state.ia.us/FindLeg/  and contact your legislator now. Ask them to support Senate File 117.

Your legislators are hearing from a lot people who want bicycles off the roads. There are more people asking your legislators to ban bicycles than there are to support this bill.

Please tell your legislator:
More and more people are bicycling for transportation and recreation.
This bill doesn't make big changes, but clarifies the Iowa code.
Passing distances are laws in 14 states and existed in Wisconsin since 1973.
There is little budget impact with safety changes.
Vote for Senate File 117.

A couple of weeks ago, Ken Sherman was crossing an intersection with a green light. Another driver was turning left from the opposite direction and slammed into Sherman, breaking bones and bruising his lung. The police don't dispute that the turning vehicle driver was at fault, but no traffic citation will be filed.

Sherman was riding a bicycle and is another example of a bicycle crash where no charges are filed despite clear fault. Why not issue a citation like a vehicle crash? According to a statement by Acting Chief of Police James O'Donnell, "This decision was made based on the officers training, experience, and compassion for both the offender and the victim, along with the fact that there was no intent by the driver to harm Mr. Sherman. This is not a felony, but it should at least be a traffic ticket."

As Ken Sherman recovers, the Iowa Legislature continues to debate the bicycle safety bill (Senate File 117). The bill is not about special rights for bicyclists, rather it clarifies that cyclists have the same protection as vehicles in the Iowa Code. The bill adds the phrase “vehicle or bicycle” in several section of the Iowa Code so there is no confusion on whether or not it applies to the bicyclist.

The bill specifies a minimum five foot passing distance for “vehicles or bicycles.” The specific distance is no more complicated to enforce than the current language of “safe and reasonable”. But the five-foot passing distance will be reflected in driver's education and that could help spare child and adult cyclists from injuries.

The bill also requires you make sure it is safe before opening your car door when parked on the street. You could injure yourself or another person if you don't make sure it is safe. This is not bike specific. It also protects vehicles.

We need to spend a few moments to debate and pass this bill in the legislature. Injuries and fatalities continue to rise for bicyclists. Vehicle fatalities have been dropping, but bicycle fatalities have been rising. More and more people are turning to bicycling and not just for recreation, but as a means to save a few dollars on trips to work and running errands. Our kids are suffering a rising obesity epidemic, but many parents think it is too dangerous to let their kids ride bicycles. A vote in favor of S.F. 117 says the Iowa Legislature supports transportation safety – for all Iowans.

Passing this bill will help us move on to the next step, which is improved education for both motorists and bicyclists. We need communities where motorists and cyclists follow traffic laws and treat each other with regard for safety. We need communities where children are safe to walk and ride bikes.

1. 5' Passing Law

13 states have passing laws
The law already requires cars pass safely, this law specifies the distance.
Because the bicycle is not a vehicle (321.1(90)(a)), we need to add bicycle to 321.299

2. Safe Following Distance

Because the bicycle is not a vehicle, we need to add bicycle to 321.307
In 2000, the predominate contributing action of killed or injured bicyclists was traveling straight
Safe following distance clarifies the interaction between vehicle and bicycle

3. Right Arm Right Turn Signal

Iowa Code only allows hand signals from left side of vehicle
The right arm pointing right is a clear signal of a right turn
The Transportation Map for Bicyclists shows the right arm right turn signal as recommended

4. Yield to Cyclists in Trails and Crosswalks

Current Iowa Code only requires crossing vehicles yield to pedestrians
Many communities have built sidepaths and trails intended for bicycle use
Current law should reflect the current use and built environment

5. Use of traffic lanes by bicycles

The national curriculum for bicycle safety classes discourages bicyclists from riding too closely to the curb for visibility, for reaction space, and to prevent vehicles from unsafely passing within the traffic lane.
If the lane is too narrow for the bicycle and vehicle to share laterally, 321.297A clarifies they bicycle and vehicle should share sequentially.
Currently, 321.297 states a vehicle traveling less than the normal speed of traffic must travel “as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.” The code does not specify if the lane is too narrow to share.

6. Door Zone

A driver should check if the traffic lane is clear before opening their door into the traffic lane.
This type of crash is potentially fatal to cyclists.

7. Stop Honking Requirement

Delete the requirement to honk at pedestrians who may be unaware of driver movement.
Change only removes requirement and does not prohibit action