March 1, 2023 marks the one-year anniversary of New Jersey’s Safe Passing Law. The law, which went into effect on March 1, 2022 (NJSA 39:4-92.4), provides clear rules of the road for all motorists when interacting with vulnerable road users, including people on foot, bicycle, scooter, in a wheelchair, or otherwise not in a car, bus, or truck. Sharing the road allows everyone to get where they need to go safely. New Jersey’s Safe Passing Law requires motorists to:
- Move over a lane (if there’s one to move into) while following all current no-passing and no speeding laws.
- Provide a distance of at least 4 feet to safely pass a vulnerable road user.
- If 4 feet is not possible, slow to 25 mph and be prepared to stop until they can pass safely without endangering those sharing the road.
Violating these guidelines will result in a driver receiving a fine of $500 and two motor vehicle points, if bodily harm is caused. If no injury occurs, the fine is $100.
This law aims to prevent the near misses, injuries, and deaths that can occur when motorists pass cyclists, pedestrians, or other vulnerable road users. The law contributes to a cultural shift toward safer travel habits by reinforcing the right to the road for people on foot, wheelchair, bicycle, or scooter. The law also underscores the responsibility for those driving fast, heavy vehicles to be cautious around vulnerable road users, who could be their friends, family, or neighbors.
Please help us commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Safe Passing Law by sharing this short video created through the New Jersey Safe Routes Resource Center on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Transportation with funds from the Federal Highway Administration.
For more information on the Safe Passing Law, check out the NJ Bike and Walk Coalition’s Safe Passing Law Resource Center, which provides details about the law, social media materials, and other educational resources.
