Relating to nonvehicular traffic, including pedestrian conveyances and bicyclists’ right-of-way at certain crosswalks, and making penalties applicable

This bill relates to laws applicable to nonvehicular traffic. Under current law, for purposes of Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road), “pedestrian” means any person afoot. The bill amends the definition to include a person using a pedestrian conveyance, as defined in the bill.1(20B)) and electric-powered devices that produce less than 750 watts are specifically included as a pedestrian conveyance. However, bicycles are not considered a pedestrian conveyance.366. In Code chapter 321, the term “pedestrian” is used for purposes relating to required driver education awareness instruction, official traffic-control signals directing pedestrian traffic, and requirements for persons operating a motor vehicle to yield or give signals to pedestrians. 340 provide pedestrians’ rights and duties, which are applicable to persons using pedestrian conveyances under the bill.8A(9)).234).281). The bill requires a driver to yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk, or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, in the same manner required when yielding to pedestrians where traffic-control signals are not in place or in operation. A driver who fails to yield the right-of-way to a bicyclist when required commits a simple misdemeanor punishable by a $135 scheduled fine. By operation of law, if the violation causes a serious injury, a court could impose an additional fine of $500 or suspend the person’s driver’s license for not more than days, or both.482A).482A if the violation causes serious injury or death.