BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 28
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
28 (Chu)
As Amended August 31, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | 78-0 | (May 14, |SENATE: |40-0 | (September 2, |
| | |2015) | | |2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: TRANS.
SUMMARY: Authorizes bicycles to have a solid or flashing red
light with a built-in reflector on the rear in place of the
required red reflector.
The Senate amendments make minor clarifying amendments to
require that a solid or flashing red light must have a built-in
reflector to meet bicycle nighttime safety requirements.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires that a bicycle operated during darkness be equipped
with all of the following:
a) A white light that illuminates the road in front of the
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bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in
front and from the sides of the bicycle.
b) A red reflector on the rear that is visible from a
distance of 500 feet when directly in front of lawful upper
beams of vehicle headlights.
c) A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or
ankle visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a
distance of 200 feet.
d) A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the
center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each
side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that
bicycles that are equipped with reflectorized tires on the
front and the rear need not be equipped with these side
reflectors.
2)Requires that reflectors and reflectorized tires be of a type
meeting requirements established by the California Highway
Patrol.
3)Authorizes that the front white light be attached to the
bicyclist rather than the bicycle as long as it meets the
visibility requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS: A recent report from the Governor's Highway Safety
Association (GHSA) on bicycle safety found that bicyclist
fatalities increased 16% nationwide between 2010 and 2012.
California had the highest number of fatalities of any state
during that time period at 338. The report additionally noted
that in 2012, nearly 27% of bicyclist death nationwide happened
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between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The report noted that enhancing
bicycle visibility through lighting is important, but did not
address the extent to which visibility played a role in
nighttime fatal crashes.
Under current law, bicycles are required to be equipped with a
front light and a variety of reflectors, including a red one on
the rear of the bike that is visible from a distance of 500 feet
when directly in front of a vehicle's headlights. The federal
Consumer Products Safety Commission requires that all bicycles
sold in the United States be equipped with this rear reflector,
which must meet standards set by the commission.
This bill authorizes a bicycle to be equipped with a solid or a
flashing red light with a built-in reflector in place of the red
reflector. The author wants to encourage bicyclists to be as
visible as possible at night and believes lights are a part of
the solution. This simple change to the law ensures that rear
lights with built-in reflectors are authorized should a
bicyclist choose to use them.
Analysis Prepared by:
Janet Dawson/ TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN:
0001838