The Directors of the Department of Motor Vehicles and the District Department of Transportation are extending the public comment period for the Vision Zero Second Proposed Rulemaking to April 10, 2017.
These proposed rules and regulations were a product of the Vision Zero Action Plan from December 2015, which is when the original version of these rules were first released. After public comment the rules were modified and re-released for comment at the beginning of February. Now after a 45 day comment period, it's being extended another 30 days. You can comment at this link.
Below are the main differences I could identify between the two rounds (there's a lot of language changes and clarification as well):
1. The start date of the side guard requirement for large commercial vehicles has been backed up by nearly a year. The new regulations now cite a US DOT standard for such side guards, and change the punishment. In the original regs, an improperly equipped truck would be issued an inspection rejection sticker and fined $100. Now it's just a $100 fine.
2. It changes the speed limit in school zones and near playgrounds, recreational facilities, pools, athletic fields, or senior centers, when not signed, from 15mph at all times to 15mph from 7am to 11pm.
3.. Sets up a separate punishment for excessive speeding (over 30mph) for someone caught by a speed camera. They will be subject to a fine, but not imprisonment. [The fine that it assigns in this case is one for people going 25mph over the speed limit]
4.The new regs require drivers approaching a crash or mechanical breakdown to slow down as appropriate and use caution, the previous version required that they slow down to a speed at least 10mph below the speed limit and use caution.
5. Lowers the fines
a. for going 25mph over the speed limit from $1000 to $400 on a controlled-access roadway and $500 on a non-controlled access roadway
b. for colliding with a cyclist from $500 to $150
c. for failing to yield to a transit bus from $500 to $100
d. for failing to proceed with caution around a stationary emergency vehicle, or approaching an incident or through an incident from $500 to $100
e. for failing to execute a proper right-turn-on-red from $200 to $100
f. for parking in a bike lane for commercial vehicles and others from $300 and $200 respectively to $150 for all.
g. for parking on a median strip, island or safety zone from $500 to $200
h. for driving on or over a sidewalk from $200 to $150
i. for dooring from $100 to $50 (and dooring is now defined as "either side" not just the traffic side)
6. Removes the fine for failure to clear a vehicle from a lane
7. Increase the fine
a. for failing to yield to a pedestrian from $75 to $150
b. carrying objects that prevents a bicyclist from keeping a hand on the handlebar from $25 to $50
c. a bicyclist who hitches on a vehicle from $25 to $50
d. a bicyclist who fails to yield from $25 to $50
e. a pedestrian who walks suddenly, without the right-of-way and into the path of a vehicle causing a collision from $10 to $100 (note: this used to be defined differently)
f. a pedestrian who fails to yield to an emergency vehicle from $10 to $100
7. Create a new fine of $150 for a bicyclist who collides with a pedestrian who's crossing a roadway (meaning a cyclist who collides with a pedestrian pays the same fine as a driver who does) and another for $100 if it happens on the sidewalk. There is also now a $50 fine for riding with earphones in both ears.
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