There are many laws out there that are implemented to protect motorcyclists. In North Carolina, lawmakers took it a step further by making drivers who endanger motorcyclists punishable by law. The Motorcycle Safety Act is such a law. It went in effect on December 1, 2011 and it established penalties for drivers of vehicles who put motorcyclists in danger.
One example of how this law works is when a driver forces a motorcyclist to change lanes unsafely, or worse, forces them to run off the road, the driver can be cited with a moving violation and face fines of up to $200.00. If the unsafe movement or action results in an accident or personal injury, the fine is $500.00.
The full act can be viewed here.
The Motorcycle Safety Act is just one of North Carolina laws to protect cyclists. Here are a few more:
- Headlights on motorcycles are required during the day and at night.
- A mirror (left or right) is required by law
- Every cycle is subject to a yearly inspection, just like all motor vehicles.
- Every cyclist must wear a helmet.
- Taillights are also required to be on during the day and at night.
Comments are closed.