6.1 Vulnerable Road Users, Pedestrians, Bicycles & Motorcycles
Key Takeaways
Massachusetts law requires drivers to leave at least four feet when passing a vulnerable road user, crossing the center line if necessary and safe.
Massachusetts' vulnerable road users include pedestrians, roadside workers, bicyclists, horse riders, wheelchair users and people on scooters, skateboards and roller skates.
One in four motor vehicle deaths involves a pedestrian, according to the Massachusetts Driver's Manual.
The Massachusetts White Cane Law requires drivers to stop completely for a blind pedestrian crossing the street; drivers must not honk, wave the person on or pass another stopped vehicle.
About half of fatal motorcycle crashes involve a motorcycle being struck by another vehicle; drivers must never share a lane with a motorcycle.
A driver who hits a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist can kill them in a crash that would only dent another car. The Manual's last safety section, on vulnerable road users, is a regular PDI topic, and it carries over into every urban lesson.
The Vulnerable Road Users Law
Massachusetts law defines vulnerable road users as:
| Group | Includes |
|---|---|
| People on foot or at work | Pedestrians and roadside workers |
| Riders | Bicyclists, and people riding horses or driving horse-drawn carriages |
| Device users | People using wheelchairs, personal mobility devices, motorized bicycles, motorized scooters, non-motorized scooters, skateboards and roller skates |
The four-foot rule
When passing a vulnerable road user you must:
- leave a safe passing distance of at least four feet between your vehicle and the person;
- use all or part of the next lane if it is safe, and cross the center line if necessary;
- obey the speed limit while passing.
A sign announcing the rule is posted on roads without designated bike lanes or separated paths.
Tip
"Four feet" is the minimum, and the speed limit still applies while passing. Crossing the center line to give the space is permitted when it is safe, so a double yellow line is not an excuse for squeezing past.
Pedestrians
One in four motor vehicle deaths involves a pedestrian. Distraction, fatigue or drifting out of your lane for even a few seconds can kill someone on foot. Watch especially for pedestrians distracted by phones or headphones.
| Group | What to expect | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Children | Unpredictable and hard to see | Extra care near school zones, parks, bus stops and playgrounds |
| Joggers and skaters | May ignore signals and crosswalks | Expect them to enter the road |
| People behind you when backing | Hidden in blind spots | Don't rely only on mirrors or sensors; check behind before getting in; turn your head and look out the window |
| Blind pedestrians | May use a white cane or guide dog | Stop and stay stopped until they have crossed; never honk, wave them on or pass another stopped vehicle |
| Deaf or Hard of Hearing people | Can't be identified by sight | Never assume anyone hears your car; yielding is safer even with the right-of-way |
| People at transit stops | Heavier foot traffic | Slow down near train and bus stops |
| Seniors | Reduced eyesight, hearing, mobility and reaction time | Extra care near senior centers and residences |
The White Cane Law
The White Cane Law requires a driver to come to a complete stop for a blind pedestrian crossing a street. Section 11.3 repeats the rule among the right-of-way rules: remain stopped until the person has crossed.
Slow down, and stop when necessary, for anyone walking in the street. Look ahead for hidden pedestrians: around curves, at the tops of hills and between parked cars. The Manual's crossing advice for walkers appears in section 13.2.
Bicycles and Mopeds
Bicyclists and moped riders have the same right to use public roadways as other drivers. The only exceptions are limited-access or express state highways posted to bar them. They must obey the same traffic-control and right-of-way laws. They are hard to see and poorly protected, so a driver who is distracted, drifts or opens a door without looking can seriously injure or kill them.
When passing a bicycle or moped:
- Lower your speed. Your vehicle's wind can knock a rider off balance.
- Leave plenty of room. At least four feet under the vulnerable-user law.
- If there isn't room to pass safely, wait for oncoming traffic to clear or for the lane to widen.
Also:
- dim your headlights at night for an oncoming bicyclist;
- expect riders to swerve suddenly, as any driver might;
- before opening a door when parked, check carefully for bicycles and mopeds (the "Dutch Reach," section 13.3).
Motorcycles
"Check Twice, Save A Life • Motorcycles Are Everywhere"
Motorcycles are motor vehicles, and more of them are registered in Massachusetts every year. The riding season usually runs March through October, but some people ride all year. Drivers often overlook motorcycles while watching larger vehicles. Motorcycles lack a car's safety features, so a crash is far more likely to injure the rider. About half of fatal motorcycle crashes involve a motorcycle being struck by another vehicle. Watch for oncoming motorcycles when entering traffic or turning left across traffic, at intersections and everywhere else.
| Situation | Manual rule |
|---|---|
| Changing lanes or merging | Motorcycles hide in blind spots. Check mirrors and blind spots, signal early and check twice |
| Following | Four-second following distance, versus three for other vehicles |
| Sharing a lane | A motorcycle is entitled to the full lane width. Never share a lane, even a wide one; crowding into a motorcycle's lane is illegal |
| Lane splitting | It is illegal for a motorcycle operator to weave between lanes at any time |
| Turning at intersections | Left turns in front of oncoming motorcycles cause many crashes. Their speed is hard to judge, so let the motorcycle pass through first |
| Road and weather | Gravel, potholes and slick surfaces can force sudden changes in speed or direction. Give extra space |
Section 11.1 adds lane rules for riders: don't ride along pavement lines between lanes, ride no more than two abreast, and stay off highways if the motorcycle can't keep up with posted minimum speeds. Riders may pass only in single file (section 12.1).
Scanning for Vulnerable Users in the Car
- Narrate scanning for vulnerable users on every city lesson, such as "cyclist at two o'clock, pedestrian between parked cars," and ask the student to do the same.
- Measure four feet. Many students underestimate it. In a parking lot, set two cones four feet apart so the student can see the gap from the driver's seat.
- Practice left turns with motorcycles in mind. Before every unprotected left, ask: "Is there a motorcycle hidden behind that oncoming car?"
- Backing. Have students walk around the car before backing out of a driveway, as the Manual advises.
A driver wants to pass a bicyclist on a two-lane road with a double yellow center line and no oncoming traffic. What does the Vulnerable Road Users law require?
At least three feet of clearance, and the double yellow line may never be crossed
Two short horn taps, then passing at any distance the cyclist can see
Waiting behind the bicyclist until a broken yellow line appears, whatever the traffic
Four feet minimum, crossing the center line if safe
A blind pedestrian with a white cane starts crossing in front of a line of stopped cars. What must a driver approaching in the next lane do?
Stop and stay stopped until the person has crossed
Wave the pedestrian across, then drive on once eye contact is made
Honk lightly as a warning
Slow down and pass carefully, because the other cars have already stopped
What following distance does the Manual recommend behind a motorcycle, and why must a driver never share its lane?
Ten seconds, as for heavy equipment
Two seconds; motorcycles stop more quickly than cars
Three seconds; lane sharing is legal when the motorcycle rides to one side
Four seconds; a motorcycle may use the full lane
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