BICYCLE LAW AMENDMENTS

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; AMENDING CERTAIN OPERATING AND EQUIPMENT PROVISIONS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER HUMAN POWERED VEHICLES.

This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 195 3 as follows:

AMENDS:

41-6-71, as last amended by Chapter 138, Laws of Utah 1987

41-6-87, as last amended by Chapter 44, Laws of Utah 1989

41-6-87.3, as last amended by Chapter 59, Laws of Utah 1997

41-6-87.7, as last amended by Chapter 138, Laws of Utah 1987

41-6-90, as last amended by Chapter 138, Laws of Utah 1987

41-6-106.10, as enacted by Chapter 207, Laws of Utah 1975

41-6-140, as last amended by Chapter 312, Laws of Utah 1997

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:

Section 1. Section 41-6-71 is amended to read:

41-6-71. Signals -- How made -- Exceptions for right hand signals.

[Signals required to be given by hand and arm shall be given]

(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a person operating a vehicle shall give the required hand and arm signals from the left side of the vehicle as follows:

[(1)] (a) Left turn: hand and arm extended horizontally;

[(2)] (b) Right turn: hand and arm extended upward; and

[(3)] (c) Stop or decrease speed: hand and arm extended downward.

(2) A person operating a bicycle or device propelled by human power ma y give the required hand and arm signals for a right turn by extending the right hand and arm horizontally to the right.

Section 3. Section 41-6-87 is amended to read:

41-6-87. Operation of bicycle or moped on and use of roa dway -- Duties, prohibitions.

(1) A person operating a bicycle or a moped upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as near as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway except when:

(a) overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction;

(b) preparing to make a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; [or]

(c) traveling straight through an intersection that has a right-turn only lane that is in conflict with the straight through movement; or

[(c)] (d) reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand edge of the roadway including[, but not limited to,] fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or [substandard width l anes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand edge. In this subsection, "substandard width lane" means] a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.

(2) Persons riding bicycles or mopeds upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and [on a laned roadway] shall ride within a single lane.

(3) If a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders [shall] may be directed by official traffic-control devices to use the path and not the roadway.

Section 4. Section 41-6-87.3 is amended to read:

41-6-87.3. Bicycles and human powered vehicle or device to yield right-of-way to pedestrians on sidewalks, paths, or trails -- Uses proh ibited -- Negligent collision prohibited -- Speed restrictions -- Rights and duties same as pedestrians.

(1) A person operating a bicycle or any vehicle or device propelled by human power shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian.

(2) A person may not operate a bicycle or a vehicle or device propelled by human power on a sidewalk, path, or trail, or across a roadway in a crosswalk, where prohibited by official traffic-control devices or ordinance.

(3) A person may not operate a bicycle or any vehicle or device propelled by human power in a negligent manner so as to collide with any pedestrian or other person operating a bicycle or any vehicle or device propelled by human power.

(4) A person operating a bicycle or a vehicle or device propelled by human power on a sidewalk, path, or trail, or across a driveway, or across a roadway on a crosswalk may not operate at a speed gre ater than is reasonable and prudent under the existing conditions, giving regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.

[(4)] (5) Except as provided under [Subsection] Subsections (1) and (4), a person operating a bicycle or a vehicle or device propelled by human power on a sidewalk, path, or trail, or across a roadway on a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

Section 5. Section 41-6-87.7 is amended to read:

41-6-87.7. Bicycles and mopeds -- Turn signals -- Exceptions.

(1) Except as provided in this section, a person riding a bicycle or moped shall comply with Section 41-6-69.

(2) [A signal of intention to turn right or left when required shall be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the bicycle or moped before turning, and shall be given while the bicycle o r moped is stopped waiting to turn.] A person is not required to signal by hand and arm [need not be given] continuously if the hand is needed in the control or operation of the bicycle or moped.

(3) A person operating a bicycle or moped and who is stopped in a lane designated for turning traffic only is not required to signal prior to making the turning movement.

Section 6. Section 41-6-90 is amended to read:

41-6-90. Bicycles -- Lamps and reflective material required.

(1) Every bicycle in use at the times described in Section 41-6-118 shall be equipped with a:

(a) lamp on the front emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front; and [with a]

(b) (i) red reflector of a type approved by the department which is visible for 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle[.]; or

(ii) red taillight designed for use on a bicycle and emitting flashing or nonflashing light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear.

(2) Every bicycle when in use at the times described in Section 41-6-118 shall be equipped with reflective material of sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides for 500 feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle, or in lieu of reflective material, with a lighted lamp visible from both sides from a distance of at least 500 feet.

(3) A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by Subsections (1) and (2).

Section 7. Section 41-6-106.10 is amended to read:

41-6-106.10. Sidewalk -- Driving prohibited -- Exception.

[No] Except for a bicycle or device propelled by human power, a person [shall drive any] may not operate a vehicle upon a sidewalk or sidewalk area except upon a [permanent or duly authorized or temporary] driveway.

Section 8. Section 41-6-140 is amended to read:

41-6-140. High intensity beams -- Red or blue lights -- Flashing lights -- Color of rear lights and reflectors.>

(1) During the times specified in Section 41-6-118, any lighted lamp or illuminating device upon a motor vehicle, other than head lamps, spot lamps, auxiliary lamps, flashing turn signals, vehicular hazard warning lamps, and school bus warning lamps, which projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower shall be so directed that no part of the high intensity portion of the beam will strike the level of the roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.

(2) Except as required in Sections 41-6-132 and 41-6-140.10, a person may not drive or move an y vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device capable of displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center of the vehicle.

(3) Flashing lights are prohibited except as authorized or required in Sections 41-6-90, 41-6-121.10, 41-6-130, 41-6-132, 41-6-133, 41-6-140.10, and 41-6-140.20.

(4) The alternately flashing lights described in Sections 41-6-132 and 41-6-140.10 may not be used on any vehicle other than a school bus or an authori zed emergency vehicle. The rotating light described in Section 41-6-132 may not be used on any vehicle other than an authorized emergency vehicle.

(5) All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except the stop light or other signal device, which may be red or yellow, and except that the light illuminating the license plate shall be white and the light emitted by a back-up lamp shall be white.