GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2009

S                                                                                                                                                    4

SENATE BILL 955

Judiciary I Committee Substitute Adopted 5/11/09
Third Edition Engrossed 5/12/09

House Committee Substitute Favorable 6/18/09

Short Title:        Bicycle Lights at Night.	(Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

March 26, 2009

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require that bicycles have visible lights on the front and rear of the bicycle, or on the person operating the bicycle, when operated DURING THE PERIOD FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE on a street, highway, or public vehicular area, and to require the report of A crash INVOLVING a motor vehicle and a bicycle where the total property DAMAGE exceeds five hundred dollars.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20-129(e) reads as rewritten:

"(e)       Lamps on Bicycles. - Every bicycle shall be equipped with on the bicycle, or on the person operating the bicycle, a lighted lamp on the front thereof, visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of at least 300 feet in front of such bicycle, and shall also be equipped with a reflex mirror or on the bicycle, or on the person operating the bicycle, a lamp on the rear, exhibiting a red light visible under like conditions from a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of such bicycle, when used at night.in operation during the period from sunset to sunrise on a street, highway, or public vehicular area."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 20-4.01(33b) reads as rewritten:

"(33b)  Reportable Crash. - A crash involving a motor vehicle that results in one or more of the following:

a.         Death or injury of a human being.

b.         Total property damage of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, or property damage of any amount to a vehicle seized pursuant to G. S. 20-28.3.

c. Total property damage of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more and involves a bicycle as defined in G.S. 20-171.8(1)."

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2009, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.