A new state law sets 3 feet as a “safe distance” for vehicles passing bicyclists on the road.
The law, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, requires drivers to give bicyclists traveling in the same direction 3 feet of clearance when passing. Under previous law, a vehicle was only required to pass to the left at a “safe distance.”
If traffic conditions prevent motorists from giving cyclists this space, drivers must “slow to a speed that is reasonable and prudent” and pass when a cyclist will not be in danger, according to the Three Feet for Safety Act.
Violations are punishable by a $35 fine. Motorists who collide with and injure cyclists while violating the law can be subject to a $220 fine.
Joan Lane, trailblazing volunteer and Stanford’s go-to for ‘sticky problems,' dies at 97March 25, 2026 3:23 pm