Share:

👍 0 👎 0

2018 SB 290: An Act Concerning The Penalty For Tailgating And Conor's Law Regarding Protective Headgear While Skateboarding, Roller Skating And In Line Skating.

Bill Text

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 14-240 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) No driver of person operating a motor vehicle shall follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having regard for the speed of such vehicles, the traffic upon and the condition of the highway and weather conditions.

(b) No person operating a motor vehicle shall drive a such vehicle in such proximity to another vehicle as to obstruct or impede traffic.

(c) Motor vehicles being driven upon any highway in a caravan shall be so operated as to allow sufficient space between such vehicles or combination of vehicles to enable any other vehicle to enter and occupy such space without danger. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to funeral processions or to motor vehicles under official escort or traveling under a special permit.

(d) Violation of any of the provisions Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be have committed an infraction, provided except that (1) any person operating a commercial vehicle combination in violation of any such provision shall have committed a violation and shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one hundred fifty dollars, or (2) if the violation results in a motor vehicle accident, such person shall have committed a violation and shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars.

Sec. 2. Section 14-286d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) For the purposes of this section and section 14-286e, "bicycle" means any vehicle propelled by the person riding the same by foot or hand power.

(b) No child fifteen years of age or under shall operate a bicycle, nonmotorized scooter or skateboard or wear roller skates or in-line skates on the traveled portion of any highway unless such child is wearing properly fitted and fastened protective headgear which conforms to the minimum specifications established by the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial Foundation's Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling Foundation, as amended from time to time. Failure to comply with this section shall not be a violation or an offense. Failure to wear protective headgear as required by this subsection shall not be considered to be contributory negligence on the part of the parent or the child nor shall such failure be admissible in any civil action.

(c) A law enforcement officer may issue a verbal warning to the parent or guardian of a child that such child has failed to comply with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.

(d) A person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of renting bicycles shall provide a bicycle helmet protective headgear conforming to the minimum specifications established by the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial Foundation's Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling, as amended from time to time, to any person under sixteen years of age who will operate the bicycle if such person does not have a helmet protective headgear in his or her possession. A fee may be charged for the helmet protective headgear rental. Violation of any of the provisions of this subsection shall be an infraction.

(e) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may establish, within available appropriations, a public awareness campaign to educate the public concerning the dangers of riding bicycles, skateboarding, roller skating and in-line skating without helmets protective headgear and to promote the use of safety helmets protective headgear while riding bicycles, skateboarding, roller skating and in-line skating.

Behind the Bill