Bike Advocates Applaud Passage of Safety Bill in Maine

Bike safety advocates are celebrating a new law in Maine that they say will make the roads safer for bikers and pedestrians.

Brian Allenby of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine tells the Maine Public Broadcasting Network that the new law clearly spells out the responsibilities of cyclists in one place. Before, he say, laws pertaining to bicyclists were spread out in a number of different statues.

The law is also designed to protect pedestrians by requiring drivers yield to people who’ve made it clear that they intend to cross the road. Violators face a fine of $165.

Kriss Evans, whose father was killed while he was walking to work in Brewer, Maine, last year, was among who urged lawmakers to pass the bill.

The law will go into effect in September.