STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8487
IN SENATE
September 13, 2010
___________
Introduced by Sen. ADAMS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to adding a
bicycle safety component to the pre-licensing driver's education
course
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraphs (b) and (d) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of
2 the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 585 of the laws of
3 2002, are amended and a new paragraph (c-3) is added to read as follows:
4 (b) Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in para-
5 graph (a) of this subdivision which shall include an alcohol and drug
6 education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
7 "Road Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of this
8 subdivision [and], a "Work Zone Safety" awareness component as described
9 in paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision, and a "Bicycle and pedestrian
10 safety" component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision,
11 the commissioner shall cause the applicant to take a road test in a
12 representative vehicle of a type prescribed by the commissioner which
13 shall be appropriate to the type of license for which application is
14 made, except that the commissioner may waive the road test requirements
15 for certain classes of applicants. The commissioner shall have the power
16 to establish a program to allow persons other than employees of the
17 department to conduct road tests in representative vehicles when such
18 tests are required for applicants to obtain a class A, B or C license.
19 If she chooses to do so, she shall set forth her reasons in writing and
20 conduct a public hearing on the matter. She shall only establish such a
21 program after holding the public hearing.
22 (c-3) "Bicycle and pedestrian safety" component. The commissioner
23 shall provide in the pre-licensing course, set forth in paragraph (b) of
24 this subdivision, a mandatory component in "Bicycle and pedestrian safe-
25 ty" education as a prerequisite for obtaining a license to operate a
26 motor vehicle. The purpose of the component is to educate prospective
27 licensees on the potential dangers to bicyclists, in-line skaters,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD18132-01-0
S. 8487 2
1 scooter riders, skateboarders and other non-motorized vehicles created
2 by motor vehicles. Specific education shall be provided with regards to
3 bicycle lanes as defined in section one hundred two-a of this chapter
4 and persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon
5 a roadway and provided for in section twelve hundred thirty-four of this
6 chapter.
7 (d) The commissioner shall make available for distribution upon regis-
8 tration at each location where the pre-licensing course will be given,
9 instructional handbooks outlining the content of the entire curriculum
10 of the pre-licensing course including the information required to be
11 included in the course pursuant to paragraphs (c), (c-1) [and], (c-2)
12 and (c-3) of this subdivision. The commissioner shall also provide for
13 the additional training of the instructors necessary for the competent
14 instruction of the alcohol and drug education [and], "Road Rage" aware-
15 ness [and], "Work Zone Safety" awareness and "Bicycle and pedestrian
16 safety" subject matters of the pre-licensing course.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
