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House approves ‘stop-as-yield’ rule for bicyclists on two‑lane roads
Summary
The Maryland House passed House Bill 7 on Feb. 12, 2025, allowing bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs on two‑lane roads under specified conditions; the measure passed the House on third reading.
The Maryland House of Delegates on Feb. 12, 2025, approved House Bill 7, a measure permitting bicyclists to treat certain stop signs as yield signs on two‑lane roads and roads with fewer lanes when they slow, yield the right of way and proceed cautiously. The bill passed on third reading; the clerk recorded 126 votes in the affirmative.
Supporters, led on the floor by the chamber’s floor leader, said the change—commonly called the “Idaho stop” in other states—improves bicyclist safety by keeping cyclists in motion and more visible to drivers’ peripheral vision. The floor leader cited studies from states that have adopted similar rules, saying some jurisdictions saw a reduction in crashes and fatalities after enactment.
Skeptical members asked questions about scope and enforcement, including whether electric bicycles and motorcycles would be covered. The floor leader said the bill would include electric bicycles under Maryland law’s definition of bicycle but would not apply to motorcycles, which are treated differently in the vehicle code. The floor leader reiterated that the statutory language requires cyclists to “reduce speed to a reasonable rate and yield the right of way to any vehicle,” and said cyclists still must stop when needed to yield safely.
Delegates raised practical concerns about high‑speed mountain roads, blind intersections and large group rides (pelotons). The floor leader responded that each cyclist would be judged individually: the statute does not automatically grant the entire peloton the right to roll through an intersection if later members cannot do so safely. He also said Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and other state agencies would have opportunities to provide public education if the law changed.
The bill sponsor on the floor, who identified as an avid cyclist, said the measure reflected years of research by the committee and personal experience riding, and urged colleagues to support the safety rationale. After brief additional debate, the clerk called the roll and announced the bill had received a constitutional majority and was declared passed.
The House record did not show specific no or abstention tallies in the roll-call announcement included in the transcript.
