State Actions: Driver’s Manual, Advisory, License Test, Legislation, Enforcement

Below find examples of advocacy at the state level.

Links to the right assist efforts to add the 'Reach' to state manuals and licensing tests

Connecticut DOT Safety Tip

New Connecticut driving laws take effect Oct. 1.  CT DOT launches "Watch For Me - CT" road safety campaign. Drivers advised to use right hand to open to prevent dooring bicyclists. Yale Daily News, New Haven, Sept 13, 2021.

Quebec's Auto Insurer SAAQ Will Teach Reach

Quebec's auto insurance board (SAAQ) training courses and exams will now require drivers in the province to understand the "Dutch reach.", CTVNewsMontreal.ca, April 18, 2023.

California Dutch Reach Bill Text & Tracking Link

dutch far hand method for safer opening of vehicle doors to avoid dooring bicyclists & vulnerable road users. Backed by California Bicycle Coalition.

Official California Legislature webpage for SB945 to add "Dutch Reach" Method to Ca Driver's Handbook & licensing test questions. Use site's link here to track bill's progress. Filed Feb 10, 2020 sponsored by Senator Beall with co-authors Sen. Weiner, Assembly Members Chiu & Kalra.  Click on image to enlarge.

CA SB 945: Dutch Reach Bill Introduced

SB 945, as introduced, Beall. Rules of the road: Dutch Reach method.

Senator Beall, Chair of California Senate Transportation Committee, introduced SB 945, a bill to include the Dutch Reach method in CA Driver Handbook and in licensing test question pool., Feb 10, 2020. Click image to enlarge.

GENERIC Draft Support Letter for Dutch Reach Bills [Download link below]

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How to Submit Letter of Support for CA SB 945

Help pass SB 945 by submitting a personal or organization letter of support asap!

The First Hearing on SB 945 has been postponed and awaits rescheduling due to the pandemic.- But Letters of Support need to arrive by noon the Wednesday before the hearing. See this link.

Address your letter to:

Senator Jim Beall
Senate Transportation Committee
State Capitol, Room 2209
Sacramento, CA 95814

PRINT ON LETTERHEAD (if you have one) & UPLOAD TO:

POSITION LETTER PORTAL at
https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/

Or email to:  estevan.ginsburg ]}at}] sen.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 651-4121

Also adapt your letter to ask your own Senator or Assembly Member  to support the bill, followed by a telephone call to their office. 

Illinois' Dutch Reach Act

Synopsis As Introduced Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall include, in the Illinois Rules of the Road publication, information advising drivers to use the Dutch Reach method when opening a vehicle door. Provides that the Secretary of State shall include a test question concerning bicycle safety, of which one may be concerning the Dutch Reach method, in the question pool used for the written portion of the drivers license examination. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following changes: (1) specifies that the Dutch Reach method is to be used when opening a vehicle door after parallel parking on a street; (2) provides that the Dutch Reach method reduces the risk of injuring a bicyclist or opening the door in the path of a vehicle approaching from behind (rather than an oncoming vehicle); and (3) provides that the Secretary shall include test questions (rather than a test question) concerning safe driving in the presence of bicycles.

Legislative summary of Illinois' Dutch Reach Bill, now Public Act 100-0770 as of 8/10/2018. Full Text of HB 5143. Full text of Public Act 100-0770. First filed on 2/15/2018 by Rep. Theresa Mah.

Sponsor's Testimony on Dutch Reach Bill, Ontario Assembly

Marit Stiles MMP Introduces Private Members Bill on the “Dutch Reach”
April 18, 2019. Read more here.

SAMPLE CA SB 945 SUPPORT LETTER [Download link below]

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CalBike's Dutch Reach Petition

California Bicycle Coalition launches Dutch Reach Petition in support of SB 945.  More info & actions here. Click image to enlarge.

StreetsBlogCAL on SB 945

California Bicycle Coalition is sponsoring a bill that would require the DMV to add information about the so-called “Dutch Reach” to its educational materials for drivers, to prevent dooring,

To Do While Isolating: Write a Letter in Support of the Dutch Reach, by Melanie Curry, StreetsBlogCAL, March 16, 2020

New York State Bill Filed

Dutch Reach bill A08510 filed in New York State Assembly by Asst. Speaker Felix Ortiz. Brooklyn Lawmakers On The Move Aug. 7, 2019.

Ontario to debate Dutch Reach Bill Apr 18, 2019

Ontario legislature to ferbate teaching the Dutch Reach anti dooring measure, its inclusion in drigres manual, driver education & licensing exam

Queen’s Park Update: MPP looks to bring the Dutch Reach to Ontario, Share the Road Cycling Coalition, Mar 25, 2019.

Toronto Star Endorses Dutch Reach Bill

" Ford government should support this bill and include the Dutch reach in the next printing of the driver’s handbook."

Protect cyclists from dooring with the ‘Dutch reach, by Star Editorial Board, May 1, 2019 .Toronto, Canada.

Dutch Reach Bill 89, Ontario, Canada

Private bill submitted by Marit Stiles MMP, Ontario Legislature, April 2019.

Bill 89 2019: An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act to ensure the Dutch reach method is included in driver education programs, Ontario Legislative Assembly, [Accessed May 2, 2019] Link to bill & status.

Ontario Teach Reach Bill: Method Defined

Description of preferred method for safe egress of vehicles to avoid dooring bicyclists causing injury or death.

Definition of Dutch Reach method in Bill 89, Teach Reach Act, 2019, Ontario Legislative Assembly. Link to Bill 89.

We instruct the Dutch Reach for Officials, shows state drivers manuals, Berlin germany & road safety RoSPA org endorsed taught far hand reach method to avoid dooring.

Add to YOUR state Driver's Manual. See: A Guide for Dutch Reach Instruction, with explanations & exaples.
Also, League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly States' Dutch Reach advisory.

State of Illinois (Enacted: 2018; Implemented: 2019)

Dutch Reach anti dooring technique move, habit or measure is now officially part of driver education in Illinois USA.

State of Illinois Dept. of Transportation (IDOT) added the far hand 'Reach' method to the 2018 Illinois Rules of the Road. Ride Illinois & Chicago DOT advocated for Dutch Reach inclusion. Doorings are a major cause of cyclist injury in Chicago. Illinois is now the second US state to adopt the measure. Click here for IL Driver's Manual pdf. See p. 43.

Massachusetts Driver's Manual

parking car vehicle to avoid dooring crashes with bicyclists by using dutch reach far hand method to open & exit safely.

The Danger of Open Doors to Bicyclists,. p.111, Massachusetts Driver’s Manual 2018. En Español | Spanish. Click image to enlarge. More on MA Manual, Press Release & coverage.

 

Different Routes Taken to Dutch Reach Adoption

A variety of paths exist to train, re-educate, urge and/or require drivers and their passengers to exercise due diligence for road safety.  Governments, agencies and officials will differ as to which means are appropriate or feasible to pursue.  Methods include awareness campaigns, addition to the state driver's manual if such exist, inclusion in licensing examination - written or road tested, or not merely as a best practice but as a required practice subject to specific enforcement and penalties. State controlled motor vehicle insurance companies may potentially also be directed or led to introduce the reach method to their subscribers.

In the The Netherlands, the far hand method spontaneously "slipped in" to common usage as alarm and protests over road carnage peaked in the 1970s.  Stringent driver licensing requirements made it standard 'best practice' for driver instruction.

In Massachusetts, the Director of Driver Licensing reviewed the method, its history and practice and after consultation with staff introduced it into the next edition of the state's Driver's Manual in May 2017. The Dutch Reach Project initiated its consideration with an email to the RMV's ombudsman.

Victoria, AUS recognized the reach in 2012, as VicRoads - its transport department - taught it in a driver safety campaign brochure and on its website.

The City of Chicago DOT & Ride Illinois collaborated to press for Dutch Reach inclusion in the state's manual and added to the pool of quesitons for the written licensing exam. This apparently required taking the legislative route. Dooring statistics had shown a dramatic ~20% rise in recent years. The measure was passed in 2018 and went into effect January 1, 2019.

The State of Washington's DOT on the other hand added the Reach along with many bike and vulnerable road user conscious additions in 2019 as part of a major in-house revision of their manual of its own accord, but reflective of the bike-progressive culture of the state which owes much to its large bike advocacy movement.

Pennsylvania DOT added the Dutch Reach as an advisory in 2019 as well. It was quietly and effectively promoted by an advisory board to the state's DOT which included bike & pedestrian road safety advocates.

In 2018 The United Kingdom's Department of Transport (DfT) announced it would add the Dutch Reach to its highway code with its next revision, along with safe pass requirements. This followed an intense multi-year anti-dooring campaign by We Are Cycling UK incited by the dooring death of 26 year old Leicester art teacher Sam Boulton by a taxi passenger, who was fined £80, provoking further outrage. Then, the UK Minister for Transport Chris Grayling was revealed on bike cam to have doored a cyclist in Parliament Square and failed to report his violation to police.  The day after The Guardian broke news of the scandal, a letter to the editor cited the Dutch Reach, its first print mention in Britain. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (UK) - which had already been evaluating the method on its merits - publicly endorsed the method in February 2017, and in September of that year produced a Dutch Reach video and announced it would have its 10,000 member driving instructors teach the method to learners.  The DfT has most recently affirmed the Reach would be officially in the Highway Code in 2020.

Cycling UK Presses Highway Code Revisions

Major British cycling advocacy organization calls for overhaul of UK Highway Code to address bicycling safety concerns.

Inclusion of the the 'Dutch Reach" The above recommendation was one of over 80 we made in our 'Cycle safety: make it simple' response to the Department for Transport's Cycle Safety Review.. Click image or here for article. We Are Cycling UK, 5 July 2018

State of Washington (2019)

Español Spanish 中文 Chinese - 한국어 Korean - Русский Russian - #Việt #Vietnamese - & 日本語 Japanese.

Washington State adds 'Dutch Reach' to 2019 Driver Guide - in 7 different language editions. See Chapter 3-p.27 - Parking.  Click image to enlarge. Search for "bicycl" in WS DOT's 2019 revision yields 166 uses, reflecting a major bike-friendly amendation of the text for greater safety, awareness and fairness.

State of Pennsylvania (2019)

Nova Scotia Legislature - Bill 115 - Far Hand Reach

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows: . 1 Chapter 293 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Motor Vehicle Act, is amended by adding immediately before Section 301 the following Section: 300C Service Nova Scotia shall include in the Nova Scotia Driver's Handbook information advising the driver or a passenger in a parked vehicle to open the door of the vehicle with the hand furthest from the handle of the door in order to better spot incoming cyclists.

A bill to amend the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act to add far hand 'Dutch Reach' advisory for road safety of cyclists and other road users, submitted April 2018 by MLA Pat Dunn. View legislative progress & find bill's text here. Click image to enlarge.  MLA Dunn announces Bill 115 submission.

Nova Scotia Legislator (& driving instructor!) pushes 'Dutch Reach'

Dutch Reach

Progressive Conservative MLA Pat Dunn is calling on the McNeil Liberals to pass a common-sense bill that would require drivers to practice the “Dutch Reach.” Dunn, himself a driving instructor for 12 years attested, ", I know the benefits of adding this to the curriculum...this is an easy safety measure that can be enacted." Click image for Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party announcement, 5 April 2018.

District of Columbia's "DC Reach" Campaign Video

In 2019 the far hand method was added to D.C.'s  Driver's Manual in the preface.

House Concurrent Resolution H.C.R. 30

House Concurrent Resolution H.C.R. 30:

"     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Transportation is urged to include instruction on the Dutch Reach method in driver's education programs in the State;..."

HAWAII: Dutch Reach Resolution HR 24

Urging Dept. of Transportation to include the Dutch Reach in Hawaii's driver education courses.

State of Hawaii, USA: House Resolution H.R. 24 submitted calling for introduction of the Dutch Reach anti dooring method into state driver education curricula. February 15, 2018. Click here to view proposed resolution on HI website as pdf.

HAWAII DOT, HI BIKE LEAGUE & PATH URGE "REACH'

H.C.R. 30: Urging inclusion of Dutch Reach in State of Hawaii DOT curriculum. Click image to enlarge.

Testimony Submitted for HR30 / HR 24

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H.R. 24 Dutch Reach Resolution Clauses: Whereas...

Hawaii: H.R. 24 - "Dutch Reach" Resolution. p..1. middle: "Whereas.... Click image to enlarge. Click here for pdf.

H.R. 24 page 1, bottom.

Urges Department of Transporation to include Dutch Reach in drivers education curricula.

Hawaii: H.R. 24 - "Dutch Reach" Resolution. p..1. bottom. Click image to enlarge. Click here for pdf.

H.R. 24 page 2, top.

Urges Department of Transporation to include Dutch Reach in drivers education curricula.

Hawaii: H.R. 24 - "Dutch Reach" Resolution. p..2, top. Click image to enlarge. Click here for pdf.

H.R. 24 page 2, continued.

Urges Department of Transporation to include Dutch Reach in drivers education curricula.

Hawaii: H.R. 24 - "Dutch Reach" Resolution. p..2, bottom. Click image to enlarge. Click here for pdf.

H.R. 24 page 3. Concludng signators.

Urges Department of Transporation to include Dutch Reach in drivers education curricula.

Hawaii: H.R. 24 - "Dutch Reach" Resolution. p.3. Click image to enlarge. Click here for pdf.

ILLINOIS, USA: BIKE SAFETY & DUTCH REACH ACT - HB 5143 (Proposed)

Nova Scotia Editorial & Legislator Call for 'Dutch Reach'

Dutch Reach Draft Legislative Language

Here I hope to assemble model language for extending RMV/DMV mandates -- inclusive of the Reach -- for drivers to to be educated and examined with respect to increased accommodation and respect for the safety of active transport users.  Your organization's suggestions or current advocacy recommendations most welcome!  

Here we would also hope to outline measures which the executive branch can take independent of legislative approval, such as improved training of state fleet drivers, state managed road improvements, signage at highway off-ramps reminding drivers to be respectful of active transport users as they exit onto the local intersections, etc.  Again, advice & suggestions welcome!

To make the Dutch Reach part of the future road sharing culture it needs to become an official best practice, one that is recommended and taught in drivers education classes, inExcluded in state Drivers Manuals, on licensing examinations and the Road Test.

Sample first draft language and explanatory materials for inclusion in State traffic code, testing and examinations.

 

A 'DUTCH REACH' RESOLUTION

A BILL TO DECLARE FAR HAND REACH TO BE YOUR STATE'S BEST PRACTICE

The [Commonwealth of Massachusetts] hereby declares that the far hand reach method for exiting motor vehicles is officially endorsed as a Best Safety Practice to protect drivers, passengers and other road users’ lives, limbs and property on our increasingly busy and multi-mode road sharing streets.

By adopting this resolution, the [Commonwealth of Massachusetts] will become the first state of the USA and first government entity outside of the Netherlands to recognize the significant protective value of this simple, commonsense, life and limb saving maneuver. Its recognition and promotion will advance the goal of making all [Massachusetts']streets safer for everyone.

Draft v1, 010417

&/or:

A BILL TO MANDATE 'DUTCH REACH' FOR LICENSING

A BILL TO MANDATE INCLUSION OF FAR HAND REACH METHOD IN DRIVER MANUAL & LICENSE TESTING

The far hand reach method for safe exiting of motor vehicle by all occupants shall be included in the state drivers training and education manual and curricula as a ‘best preferred safety practice’ for safe exiting, and shall be included among the content subject to testing for driver licensure.

Exiting a motor vehicle shall be included as part of the operation of a motor vehicle and itself includes door opening, physical exiting, door closing and exiting the travel lane in a timely manner.

"Best preferred safety practice" is here defined for this article: A safety practice recommended as a preferred but not exclusive method for safe conduct in the operation of a motor vehicle, proper performance of which shall qualify as meeting the testing requirement and standard pursuant to this [statute/code].

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FLEET CONTINUING DRIVERS' EDUCATION PROGRAM

A BILL TO CREATE A VISION ZERO SAFE DRIVER CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM 

 - TO RETRAIN STATE, STATE AUTHORITY, AND MUNICIPAL FLEET DRIVERS TO CURRENT STANDARDS OF DRIVING, SAFE ROAD SHARING PRACTICES, SIGNAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE (etc.).

[Need Addressed: Many drivers are woefully unfamiliar with safe road sharing practices. Starting with public fleets, curricula and resouces can be developed for broad re-training to help meet Vision Zero educational objectives.]

[State Agency X/ Commission X] shall develop a driver education re-training program –- for all state agencies, authorities, and municipal bodies which operate fleets and employ or contract drivers, which shall educate and help bring all such public fleets and drivers into conformance with current safe road sharing practices and infrastructure.

Said program shall be updated annually in conformance with revisions of [Chapter 90, Section 14, and Chapter ##, Sections ##. the Commissioner of the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Commissioner of Public Health, the X Task Force on Road Safety, Dept. of Education etc.] shall oversee and/or be consulted (etc.) on content and pedagogy. The re-training curriculum and voluntary testing modules shall be publicly available on the RMV website.

Participation and implementation of annual municipal fleet continuing education driver education shall be a condition for receipt of State Highway capital funding – [Note: or other such carrot/stick as per example of federal funding tied to states compliance with seat belt buckling law etc.]

Explanation of Need Addressed: Many drivers are woefully unfamiliar with safe road sharing practices. Starting with public fleets, curricula and resouces can be developed for broad re-training to help meet Vision Zero educational objectives. [Could such a program – see San Francisco’s Large Urban Vehicle Driver Safety program, & Uber’s SF Road Sharing videos as partial examples – be also developed or versions created suitable for private companies and current drivers who last studied the [State] Drivers Manual and were last tested, years and decades ago – though as a voluntary educational service by the Commonwealth/State with a separate sub-portal on the RMV website?]

Draft v1, 010417