Huntsville Bike Committee

The bill gives traffic officers and prosecutors new tools to hold accountable reckless drivers who hit pedestrians or bicyclists. The campaign to pass HB 88 is nicknamed “One Road” to emphasize that our public roads must safely serve the needs of all road users regardless of their modes of transportation.

As in many other states, Kentucky law generally does not allow law enforcement officers to issue citations or make arrests for non-felony traffic violations not witnessed by the officer. Even when physical evidence and eyewitness testimony shows the driver at fault, officers typically cannot press any charges. Because most crashes occur when no officer is on hand to witness them, criminal charges are rarely filed in connection with the crashes. When a law-abiding bicyclist or pedestrian gets hit by a car, the news accounts say, “No charges will be filed,” giving the impression of a tragic accident for which nobody is at fault. The lack of enforceable criminal penalties sends the message that these crash-causing driving violations are of no concern to the Commonwealth, and that it is merely a private (civil) matter for the involved parties to resolve among themselves. This helps to perpetuate the false belief that bicycling and walking are dangerous, and that drivers need not do anything to reduce those dangers. read more here