22 States Have Safe Passing Law

It wasn’t all that long ago that I wrote about the “give us (at least) 3” feet of clearance law when passing bicycles and the number of states requiring it was 14. Now we have 22.

Progress.

Two of those states, California and Nebraska, recently passed it but need the governor’s signature before it becomes law.

Pennsylvania state law requires 4 feet of space, while the other states require 3 feet. Oklahoma, where I live passed it in 2006.

The key to the success of any state’s law requiring safe passing of cyclists is enforcement and education. Most laws actually require injury or death of a cyclist before an offending driver is penalized – doesn’t do much for prevention to say the least. My community strengthened our local ordinance removing the requirement of injury or death before a citation can be issued. I would love to know how many citations have been issued here in Edmond. My hunch is it’s one less than citations issued to cyclist(s) proceeding through a dysfunctional traffic light.

State law (Oklahoma) still requires it, efforts to change it last legislative season failed.

For more information about specific state laws go here.