2019 Priorities for Traffic Safety Legislation:
- Hands-free — this legislation will require any use of mobile devices while driving to be hands-free.
- An Act to reduce traffic fatalities — this bill would achieve several traffic safety goals including equipping state-contracted trucks with safety side guards, setting a safe passing distance of at least three feet, lowering speed limits on state roads, and more.
- An Act relative to automated enforcement — this bill will allow red light cameras and speed cameras to be placed in certain locations in the Commonwealth by local option. When enacted in other states, automated enforcement has reduced speeding and serious crashes.
An Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities (S.2214 / H. 3118)
This bill would ensure basic, but necessary traffic regulations to guarantee that everyone on our streets can expect to get from point A to point B safely. The bill's provisions that the MA Vision Zero Coalition believes will make the biggest difference to the safety of people walking and biking and that we support strongly are:
- Lowering the default speed limit on state highways and parkways in thickly settled areas from 30 mph to 25 mph
- Equipping state and state-contracted trucks with safety side-guards and additional mirrors to minimize blind spots and reduce fatalities of people walking and biking
- Defining ‘vulnerable road users’ to include people walking and biking; roadside workers like tow-truck drivers and State Troopers; people using wheelchairs, scooters, skateboards, roller skates, etc.
- Setting a safe passing distance of vulnerable road users of at least three feet
- Developing a standardized analysis tool to be used to report crashes and incidents involving a person biking or walking
What's next?
- The bill was passed by the Senate.
- Currently, the bill has been sent to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- If the committee votes to give the bill a favorable report, it will be sent on to the House for a vote.
How to take action
Ask the committee chair to please act favorably on An Act to reduce traffic fatalities.
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR EMAIL
To: Representative Aaron Michlewitz <[email protected]>
CC: your legislators (click here if you're not sure); [email protected]
Recommended email subject: Support for An Act to reduce traffic fatalities
Sample script:
Dear Chair Michlewitz,
I am writing to urge a favorable report for An Act to reduce traffic fatalities.
Serious injury and deaths from traffic crashes continue with troubling frequency on our streets. An Act to reduce traffic fatalities is a comprehensive piece of legislation which aims to create safer streets for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, and passengers of motor vehicles.
[Tell your own story here. Why is this bill important to you?]
Thank you for your consideration.
[full name
street address
city/town, state, zip
phone:
email: ]
An Act Relative to Automated Enforcement (S.1376)
This bill would allow cities and towns to place red light cameras and speed cameras in certain locations. Violations would include speeding, failure to stop at a red light, illegal turn on red, and failure to stop for a school bus.
Why is this bill important?
- When enacted in other states, automated enforcement has reduced speeding and serious crashes.
- A review of 28 Automated Speed Enforcement studies found that cameras reduced crashes between 8-49% (NTSB’s report).
- In Maryland, a study showed that the proportion of drivers traveling more than 10 mph above the speed limit declined by about 70% for locations with warning signs and speed camera enforcement [Traffic Injury Prevention Journal].
What's next?
- Currently, the bill is due to receive a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
- Once the committee votes to give the bill a favorable report, it will likely be sent on to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.