A 451: Relates to the operation of vehicles when approaching bicyclists on the roadway, requiring drivers to move lanes, if possible, or reduce speed.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 451 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera- tion of vehicles when approaching bicyclists on the roadway The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 1146 of the vehicle and traffic 2 law, as amended by chapter 333 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read 3 as follows: 4 (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, 5 every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding 6 with any bicyclist, pedestrian, or domestic animal upon any roadway and 7 shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary. The due care 8 required to avoid colliding with any bicyclist shall include, but not be 9 limited to, the driver of a vehicle moving from the lane with the bicy- 10 clist, if safe to do so; provided, however, if the driver of the vehicle 11 is unable to change lanes safely or would cross a yellow line to change 12 lanes, the driver of the vehicle shall reduce their speed. For the 13 purposes of this section, the term "domestic animal" shall mean domesti- 14 cated sheep, cattle, and goats which are under the supervision and 15 control of a pedestrian. 16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01085-01-5