Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice has proposed a bill that would regulate motor vehicles to prevent accidents with bicyclists. Rice, D-Oklahoma City, was inspired to sponsor the bill after the recent deaths of three bicyclists in Oklahoma. The bill will be modeled after Colorado's 2009 Bicycle Safety Act.
500,000 people are treated in emergency departments for bicycle-related injuries each year nationwide. More than 700 people die annually from bicycle-related injuries. So far this year in Oklahoma there have been 150 bicycle accidents resulting in three deaths.
Alan Spencer, 56, was killed while biking after he was hit by a car in northeast Oklahoma City on July 17. The next day, July 18, a 75-year-old man was also killed after being struck by a car while biking. In August, a 56-year-old woman was killed from an accident while biking.
Legislators are concerned that these accidents are due to drivers' lack of awareness of bicyclists. Also, drivers have disregarded bicyclists' safety by cutting too close when passing and refusing to yield.
How Does Oklahoma's Bicycle Safety Bill Aim to Help?
Oklahoma's new bill will be modeled after Colorado's law regarding bicycle safety. The Bicycle Safety Act regulates drivers when passing bicyclists and prohibits the intimidation of bicyclists. It requires drivers to allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle and gives cyclists the right to pass one another or ride side by side if not obstructing the reasonable flow of traffic. The law makes throwing an object at a bicyclist a class two misdemeanor. Intimidating a bicyclist by driving towards them dangerously is a careless driving offense.
In 2008, the Oklahoma city of Edmond adopted an ordinance requiring vehicles passing bicycles to allow at least three feet of clearance. Violations resulting in a serious injury to a bicyclist warrant a $500 fine.
Oklahoma's new bill awaits a vote by the Senate. Senator Rice hopes the bill will pass. "We want to encourage more riders," he explains. An estimated 32 percent of Oklahoma citizens are occasional bicyclists.
If you have been injured in a bicycle-related accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney immediately to learn more about your rights and legal options.