Last week, the Pennsylvania Senate passed an act that aims to reduce the number of bicycle accidents, injuries and fatalities in the state by requiring drivers to give bicyclists more safe riding space. The law had already been passed by the state House of Representatives, and is now awaiting the signature of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. There is no indication that he plans to veto the bill.

Specifically, the Safe Passing Act requires drivers to give bicyclists at least four feet of space when passing them on Pennsylvania roads. In addition, the bill states that "no turn by a driver of a motor vehicle shall interfere with a pedal cycle proceeding straight." This means that drivers who are making either left- or right-hand turns must wait for a bicyclist who is traveling straight through an intersection.

The law updates a previous bike safety law which only required that vehicles must pass bicyclists at a "safe distance." According to the advocacy director of Bike Pittsburgh, the bill provides more specific guidance to both drivers and bicyclists, which will hopefully allow them to better co-exist and remain safe on Pennsylvania roads.

In addition, bicycling advocates hope that the bill will encourage bicyclists who are fearful of riding on the road to do just that. First, however, they need to find ways to get the word out to drivers and bicyclists. The city of Pittsburgh reportedly has no plans to use street signs or similar methods to educate residents about the four foot requirement, but there is a good chance that the law will appear on driver's tests and law enforcement manuals in the future.

Source: The Duquesne Duke, "Pennsylvania legislation aims to protect cyclists," Anthony Meier, Feb. 1, 2012