On September 3, 2021, California lawmakers passed a bill that could reduce cycling accidents. Still expected to be signed by Governor Newsom, A.B. 122 would give cyclists the option to yield, rather than stop, at stop signs when safe to do so. According to Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horbath, this bill will encourage safer riding and have long-term benefits on the environment.
A.B. 122 aims to reduce traffic accidents involving bicycles by decreasing their time in the intersection. After making complete stops, cyclists must exert more energy and take more time to cross intersections, which increases their chances of colliding with another vehicle. This policy has been implemented in several other states including Delaware, where data shows that these collisions have decreased by 23% in 30 months.
While A.B. 122 aims to reduce bicycle crashes, there are still concerns about young riders abusing the policy, or about it causing more confusion in trafficked urban areas. To address these concerns, the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition is committed to educating cyclists and drivers on how to safely share the road.
By providing safer options for cyclists, A.B. 122 hopes to encourage more people to choose biking as a mode of transportation while simultaneously reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. This significant bill awaits Governor Newsom’s decision to sign, approve without signing, or veto; therefore, it is still essential to contact the governor’s office to support the bill being signed into law.
References
A.B 122: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB122 Darrow, M. (2021, September 2). California Stop: Bicyclists To Treat Stop Signs As Yield Signs Following Passage of AB 122. CBS SF BayArea.
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/09/02/california-stop-bicyclists-yield-signs-ab-122 /
Written by Hoang-dan Nguyen
