Committee weighs allowing bicyclists to treat stop signs and flashing red signals as yields; schedules more testimony

On April 20, 2025, a legislative committee reviewed proposed amendments to the motor vehicle (DMV) bill that would let an individual operating a bicycle treat a stop sign or flashing red signal as a yield when it is safe to do so and would add definitions and bicycle-specific signal rules to state law.

Damien Leonard, Office of Legislative Counsel, told the committee the draft would add three new sections to the motor vehicle bill: updates to the statute governing bicycle operation, a definition of a flashing red signal and “immediate hazard,” and a section on bicycle control signals. Leonard said the proposal would require bicyclists to “follow all traffic control devices and traffic control signals” as a default but create limited exceptions allowing cautious crossing or turns at stop signs and flashing red signals when no immediate hazard exists. Leonard noted one clear exclusion: the change would not apply at active railroad grade crossings.

The d…