2013 -- S 0625

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LC01209

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND

RULES OF THE ROAD

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, and Crowley

     Date Introduced: March 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 31-15 of the General Laws entitled "Passing, Use of Lanes, and

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Rules of the Road" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     31-15-20. Unsafe passing of a vulnerable road user. -- (a) For purposes of this section,

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"vulnerable road user" means:

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     (1) A pedestrian;

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     (2) A bicyclist;

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     (3) A police officer or emergency responder on duty while outside of a vehicle;

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     (4) A highway worker performing duties outside a vehicle;

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     (5) A person riding on or driving a wheelchair, motorized or not;

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     (6) A person using a skateboard, inline stakes, or rollerskates;

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     (7) A person riding on or driving an animal.

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     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, any

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person, while operating a motor vehicle on a street or highway, who fails to exercise due care to

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avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user causing physical injury or death to the vulnerable road

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user shall be guilty of an offense pursuant to this section and shall be sentenced in addition to any

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other applicable criminal or civil statute as follows:

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     (1) To complete a traffic safety training session to be determined by the sentencing judge;

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     (2) To perform no less than ten (10) and not more than two hundred (200) hours of

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community service;

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     (3) A suspension of his or her motor vehicle operator's license for a period of not more

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than one year; and

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     (4) A fine of not less than eight-five dollars ($85.00) and not more than five hundred

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dollars ($500).

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     Said fines and/or penalties are in addition to any other applicable criminal or civil

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penalties provided by the general laws.

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     (d) Any person required to perform community service or traffic safety training pursuant

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to this section shall complete such training session and perform such community service within

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one year of the date of sentencing. If the court determines that such person has not successfully

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completed the training session and performed the community service, the court shall grant the

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person an extension for good cause shown, or impose an additional fine of not more the five

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hundred dollars ($500) and suspend such person's motor vehicle operator's license for a period or

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not more than one year.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01209

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND

RULES OF THE ROAD

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     This act would provide a penalty for failing to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a

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vulnerable road user.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01209

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