Senate Bill S8487

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  8487

                            I N  S E N A T E

                           September 13, 2010
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  ADAMS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in  relation  to  adding  a
  bicycle  safety  component  to  the  pre-licensing  driver's education
  course

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Paragraphs (b) and (d) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of
the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 585 of  the  laws  of
2002, are amended and a new paragraph (c-3) is added to read as follows:
  (b)  Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in para-
graph (a) of this subdivision which shall include an  alcohol  and  drug
education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
"Road  Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of this
subdivision [and], a "Work Zone Safety" awareness component as described
in paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision, AND A  "BICYCLE  AND  PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY"  COMPONENT  AS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (C-3) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
the commissioner shall cause the applicant to take  a  road  test  in  a
representative  vehicle  of  a type prescribed by the commissioner which
shall be appropriate to the type of license  for  which  application  is
made,  except that the commissioner may waive the road test requirements
for certain classes of applicants. The commissioner shall have the power
to establish a program to allow persons  other  than  employees  of  the
department  to  conduct  road tests in representative vehicles when such
tests are required for applicants to obtain a class A, B or  C  license.
If  she chooses to do so, she shall set forth her reasons in writing and
conduct a public hearing on the matter. She shall only establish such  a
program after holding the public hearing.
  (C-3)  "BICYCLE  AND  PEDESTRIAN  SAFETY"  COMPONENT. THE COMMISSIONER
SHALL PROVIDE IN THE PRE-LICENSING COURSE, SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF
THIS SUBDIVISION, A MANDATORY COMPONENT IN "BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFE-
TY" EDUCATION AS A PREREQUISITE FOR OBTAINING A  LICENSE  TO  OPERATE  A
MOTOR  VEHICLE.  THE  PURPOSE OF THE COMPONENT IS TO EDUCATE PROSPECTIVE
LICENSEES ON THE  POTENTIAL  DANGERS  TO  BICYCLISTS,  IN-LINE  SKATERS,

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD18132-01-0

S. 8487                             2

SCOOTER  RIDERS,  SKATEBOARDERS AND OTHER NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLES CREATED
BY MOTOR VEHICLES. SPECIFIC EDUCATION SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH REGARDS  TO
BICYCLE  LANES  AS  DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED TWO-A OF THIS CHAPTER
AND PERSONS RIDING BICYCLES OR SKATING OR GLIDING ON IN-LINE SKATES UPON
A ROADWAY AND PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED THIRTY-FOUR OF THIS
CHAPTER.
  (d) The commissioner shall make available for distribution upon regis-
tration  at  each location where the pre-licensing course will be given,
instructional handbooks outlining the content of the  entire  curriculum
of  the  pre-licensing  course  including the information required to be
included in the course pursuant to paragraphs (c),  (c-1)  [and],  (c-2)
AND  (C-3)  of this subdivision. The commissioner shall also provide for
the additional training of the instructors necessary for  the  competent
instruction  of the alcohol and drug education [and], "Road Rage" aware-
ness [and], "Work Zone Safety" awareness  AND  "BICYCLE  AND  PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY" subject matters of the pre-licensing course.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.