EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0511*
HOUSE BILL 511
R5 4lr1964
HB 1289/23 – ENT CF SB 826
By: Delegates Boyce and Embry
Introduced and read first time: January 24, 2024
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Vehicle Laws – Bicycles – Operation at Intersections 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing a person operating a bicycle that is approaching a stop sign 3
at an intersection on certain highways to cautiously make a turn or proceed through 4
the intersection without stopping if the person reduces the speed of the bicycle to a 5
reasonable rate and yields the right–of–way to certain vehicles under certain 6
circumstances; and generally relating to the operation of bicycles on highways. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 21–707 and 21–1202 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Transportation 15
21–707. 16
(a) [Unless] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C–1) OF THIS SECTION, 17
AND UNLESS otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic control signal, the driver of a 18
vehicle approaching a stop sign at an intersection shall stop at the near side of the 19
intersection at a clearly marked stop line. 20 2 HOUSE BILL 511
(b) [Unless] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C–1) OF THIS SECTION, 1
AND UNLESS otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic control signal, the driver of a 2
vehicle approaching a stop sign at an intersection shall stop at the near side of the 3
intersection and, if there is no clearly marked stop line, before entering any crosswalk. 4
(c) [Unless] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C–1) OF THIS SECTION, 5
AND UNLESS otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic control signal, the driver of a 6
vehicle approaching a stop sign at an intersection shall stop at the near side of an 7
intersection and, if there is no crosswalk, at the nearest point before entering the 8
intersection that gives the driver a view of traffic approaching on the intersecting roadway. 9
(C–1) WHEN APPROACHING A ST OP SIGN AT AN INTERSECTION WITH A 10
HIGHWAY WITH TWO OR FEWER LANES FOR MOVI NG TRAFFIC, A PERSON OPERATING 11
A BICYCLE MAY CAUTIO USLY MAKE A TURN OR PROCEED THROUGH THE 12
INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOPPING IF THE PERS ON OPERATING THE BIC YCLE: 13
(1) REDUCES THE SPEED OF THE BICYCLE TO A REASONABLE RA TE; 14
AND 15
(2) YIELDS THE RIGHT –OF–WAY TO: 16
(I) ANY VEHICLE IN THE IN TERSECTION; AND 17
(II) ANY APPROACHING VEHIC LE ON ANOTHER HIGHWA Y THAT 18
IS NEAR ENOUGH TO TH E INTERSECTION THAT IT POSES AN IMMEDIAT E DANGER. 19
(d) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign at an intersection, if required 20
for safety to stop, shall stop at the near side of the intersection at a clearly marked stop 21
line. 22
(e) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign at an intersection, if required 23
for safety to stop, shall stop at the near side of the intersection and, if there is no clearly 24
marked stop line, before entering any crosswalk. 25
(f) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign at an intersection, if required 26
for safety to stop, shall stop at the near side of the intersection and, if there is no crosswalk, 27
at the nearest point before entering the intersection that gives the driver a view of traffic 28
approaching on the intersecting roadway. 29
21–1202. 30
(a) Every person operating a bicycle or a motor scooter in a public bicycle area 31
has all the rights granted to and is subject to all the duties required of the driver of a vehicle 32
by this title, including the duties set forth in § 21–504 of this title, except: 33 HOUSE BILL 511 3
(1) As otherwise provided in this subtitle; and 1
(2) For those provisions of this title that by their very nature cannot apply. 2
(b) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a person has the 3
rights and is subject to the restrictions applicable to pedestrians under this title while the 4
person is lawfully operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle: 5
(i) On a sidewalk or sidewalk area; or 6
(ii) In or through a crosswalk. 7
(2) At an intersection, a person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle 8
is subject to all traffic control signals, as provided in §§ 21–202 and 21–203 of this title. 9
(3) Section 21–506 of this title does not apply to a person operating a 10
bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle. 11
(C) NOTWITHSTANDING § 21–707(A) THROUGH (C) OF THIS TITLE, WHEN 12
APPROACHING A STOP S IGN AT AN INTERSECTI ON WITH A HIGHWAY WI TH TWO OR 13
FEWER LANES FOR MOVI NG TRAFFIC, A PERSON OPERATING A BICYCLE MAY 14
CAUTIOUSLY MAKE A TU RN OR PROCEED THROUG H THE INTERSECTION W ITHOUT 15
STOPPING IF THE PERS ON OPERATING THE BIC YCLE: 16
(1) REDUCES THE SPEED OF THE BICYCLE TO A REA SONABLE RATE ; 17
AND 18
(2) YIELDS THE RIGHT –OF–WAY TO: 19
(I) ANY VEHICLE IN THE IN TERSECTION; AND 20
(II) ANY APPROACHING VEHIC LE ON ANOTHER HIGHWA Y THAT 21
IS NEAR ENOUGH TO TH E INTERSECTION THAT IT POSES AN IMMEDIATE DANGER . 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2024. 24