General Assembly Raised Bill No. 343
February Session, 2010 LCO No. 1708
*01708_______TRA*
Referred to Committee on Transportation
Introduced by:
(TRA)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 343
February Session, 2010
LCO No. 1708
*01708_______TRA*
Referred to Committee on Transportation
Introduced by:
(TRA)
AN ACT CONCERNING THE IMPROVEMENT OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AT CROSSWALKS DESIGNATED BY TRAFFIC AUTHORITIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 14-300 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2010):
(a) The traffic authority shall have power to designate, by appropriate devices or markers or by lines upon the surface of the highway, such crosswalks and intersections as, in its opinion, constitute [an especial] a danger to pedestrians crossing the highway including, but not limited to, specially marked crosswalks in the vicinity of schools, which crosswalks shall have distinctive markings, in accordance with the regulations of the State Traffic Commission, to denote use of such crosswalks by school children; and may maintain suitable signs located at intervals along highways, particularly where there are no sidewalks, directing pedestrians to walk facing vehicular traffic.
(b) At any intersection where special pedestrian-control signals bearing the words "Walk" or "Don't Walk" are placed, pedestrians may cross the highway only as indicated by the signal. At any intersection where traffic is controlled by other traffic control signals or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the highway against a red or "Stop" signal and shall not cross at any place not a marked or unmarked crosswalk. A pedestrian started or starting across the highway on a "Walk" signal or on any such crosswalk on a green or "Go" signal shall have the right-of-way over all vehicles, including those making turns, until such pedestrian has reached the opposite curb or safety zone.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (c) of section 14-300c, at any crosswalk marked as provided in subsection (a) of this section or any unmarked crosswalk, provided such crosswalks are not controlled by police officers or traffic control signals, each operator of a vehicle shall grant the right-of-way, and slow or stop such vehicle if necessary to so grant the right-of-way, to any pedestrian crossing the roadway within such crosswalk, provided such pedestrian steps off the curb or into the crosswalk at the entrance to a crosswalk or is within that half of the roadway upon which such operator of a vehicle is traveling, or such pedestrian steps off the curb or into the crosswalk at the entrance to a crosswalk or is crossing the roadway within such crosswalk from that half of the roadway upon which such operator is not traveling. No operator of a vehicle approaching from the rear shall overtake and pass any vehicle, the operator of which has stopped at any crosswalk marked as provided in subsection (a) of this section or any unmarked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway. The operator of any vehicle crossing a sidewalk shall yield the right-of-way to each pedestrian and all other traffic upon such sidewalk.
(d) The operator of a motor vehicle who approaches or comes into the immediate vicinity of a pedestrian who is blind, as defined in subsection (a) of section 1-1f, carrying a white cane or a white cane tipped with red, or a pedestrian being guided by a guide dog, shall reduce speed or stop, if necessary, to yield the right-of-way to such pedestrian. No person, except one who is blind, shall carry or use on any street or highway, or in any other public place, a cane or walking stick which is white in color or white, tipped with red.
(e) On and after October 1, 2010, any crosswalk designated by a traffic authority pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be required by such authority to have distinctive markings and signage and to have any control signals deemed necessary by such authority to provide sufficient time for the safe crossing of pedestrians.
[(e)] (f) The operator of any motor vehicle who violates this section shall be deemed to have committed an infraction and be fined ninety dollars.
[(f)] (g) In any civil action arising under subsection (c) or (d) of this section or sections 14-300b to 14-300d, inclusive, the doctrine of negligence per se shall not apply.
Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) The State Traffic Commission shall study the feasibility of adopting uniform safety standards applicable to all pedestrian crosswalks and shall submit, not later than January 12, 2011, a report of its findings and recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2010 14-300
Sec. 2 from passage New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2010
14-300
Sec. 2
from passage
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To improve the safety of persons using crosswalks.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]