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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2023
Legislative Document No. 730S.P. 288 In Senate, February 16, 2023
An Act to Provide Traffic Safety Education in Schools
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative ANKELES of Brunswick and
Senator: CARNEY of Cumberland, Representatives: ARFORD of Brunswick, BELL of
Yarmouth. Page 1 - 131LR0016(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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6 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms
7 have the following meanings.
8 "Micromobility device" means any small, low-speed,
9 human-powered or electric-powered transportation device, including a bicycle, scooter,
10 skateboard, electric-assisted bicycle, electric scooter or e-scooter, electric skateboard and
11 other small, lightweight, wheeled device that has a top speed of 28 miles per hour or less.
12 "Micromobility device" does not include any transportation device powered by an internal
13 combustion engine.
14 "Traffic safety education" means education designed to
15 provide instruction regarding traffic safety laws and rules, including best practices for users
16 of public and private ways, including motor vehicle operators, pedestrians, bicyclists,
17 micromobility device operators and other vulnerable users, as that term is defined in Title
18 29-A, section 101, subsection 91-A.
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20 A school administrative unit shall provide at least one hour of age-appropriate traffic
21 safety education annually to students in grades 2 to 12. The traffic safety education must
22 meet the minimum requirements specified in section 6703.
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24 A traffic safety education program, referred to in this chapter as "the program," offered
25 by a school administrative unit must meet, at a minimum, the following requirements
26 adjusted as appropriate for each grade to which the traffic safety education is provided.
27 The program must provide instruction on traffic laws and
28 rules applicable to pedestrians and safe pedestrian use of public and private ways,
29 including:
30 A. Use of sidewalks and crosswalks;
31 B. Travel on the shoulders of public ways, including direction of travel;
32 C. Entering, exiting and crossing public and private ways; and
33 D. Conspicuity.
34 The program must provide instruction on traffic laws and
35 rules applicable to bicyclists and safe bicycle operation on public and private ways,
36 including:
37 A. Helmet requirements and use; Page 2 - 131LR0016(01)
1 B. Conspicuity, lighting and reflector use;
2 C. Hand signals and use;
3 D. The meaning of and the proper response to traffic control devices as defined in Title
4 29-A, section 101, subsection 84;
5 E. Travel on public ways, including direction of travel; and
6 F. Entering, exiting and crossing public and private ways.
7 The program must provide instruction on best
8 practices and any laws applicable to micromobility device operators on public and private
9 ways, including instruction that micromobility device operators should operate as bicyclists
10 when on public ways as described in Title 29-A, chapters 19 and 20.
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12 rules applicable to motor vehicle operators and passengers in motor vehicles, including:
13 A. Awareness of, operating around and safely passing pedestrians, bicyclists and other
14 vulnerable users of public and private ways;
15 B. Prohibitions against distracted driving;
16 C. Prohibitions against operating under the influence of intoxicating liquor and drugs;
17 and
18 D. Speed limits.
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20 The program is not intended to supplant a driver education course offered pursuant to
21 chapter 316 and may not include any practical instruction in the operation of a motor
22 vehicle. The program may include so-called "in the field" sessions on foot or while riding
23 bicycles.
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25 A school administrative unit may contract with a 3rd party to provide traffic safety
26 education.
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28 The purpose of this bill is to provide students in Maine with traffic safety education
29 from an early age with the goal of teaching students safe practices and respect for all users
30 of the road in order to reduce the number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and make
31 Maine's roadways safer and more enjoyable for all users.
32 This bill requires all school administrative units to provide age-appropriate traffic
33 safety education annually to students in grades 2 to 12. The traffic safety education
34 program must provide, at a minimum, instruction on the laws and rules regarding the use
35 of public and private ways by motor vehicle operators, passengers in motor vehicles,
36 pedestrians, bicyclists, micromobility device operators and other vulnerable users. A
37 school administrative unit may contract with a 3rd party to provide the traffic safety
38 education.
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