Massachusetts Passes New Road Safety Law

A new Massachusetts law requires drivers to remain four feet away from pedestrians, cyclists, and other “vulnerable users,” reports Taylor Dolven in the Boston Globe. In 2022, 10 cyclists and 99 pedestrians were killed by vehicles in Massachusetts, Dolven points out.

The law was signed by Governor Charlie Baker on Monday. Advocates say defining vulnerable road users sets “a standard of how motorists need to behave when they’re sharing public space.” The law also requires large state vehicles to install safety devices and gives cities the right to ask for speed limit changes on state-owned roads in their municipality. 

As Dolven explains, “Trucks owned or leased by the state will be required to install devices to make it easier for drivers to see vulnerable road users and side guards to prevent cyclists and others from being run over by 2023. Trucks contracted by the state must have the same safety features by 2025.”