An Act To Broaden the Scope of Driving to Endanger
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1017
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: MARLEY
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2413

Legislative Document 
No. 1017 
H.P.738 
House of Representatives, February 25, 2003 
An Act To Broaden the Scope of Driving to Endanger 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative MARLEY of Portland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
/Jf~ 
/J7.1l/oc~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29·A MRSA §lOl, sub·§9·A is enacted to read: 
9-A. 
Bicyclist. 
"Bicyclist" means any person who is riding 
upon, operating o~ straddling a bicycle. 
Sec. 2. 29·A MRSA §2084.A is enacted to read: 
§2084-A. 
Riding to endanger 
1. 
Riding to endanger. 
A person is guilty of riding to 
endanger if that person operates a bicycle in a 
manner that 
endangers 
a 
person 
or 
the 
property of 
another. 
Riding 
to 
endanger includes, but is not limited to: 
A. 
Operating a bicycle at night without night equipment 
pursuant to section 2084, subsection 1; 
B. 
Operating a bicycle in the wrong direction on a public 
way: and 
C. 
Failure to stop at a stop sign or traffic light. 
2. 
Penalties. 
Violation of subsection 
is 
a 
traffic 
infraction punishable as described in section 2604. 
A court may 
waive the fine if the bicyclist produces proof of purchase of 
night equipment or proof of completion of a bicycle safety cour~~_. 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2413, sub-§§l and 3, as enacted by PL 1993, 
c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, are amended to read: 
1. 
Definition. A person commits a Class E crime if, with 
criminal negligence as defined in Title 17-A, that person drives 
a motor vehicle in any place in a manner that endangers the 
property of 
another 
or 
a 
person, 
including 
a 
bicyclist, 
a 
pedestrian or the operator or passenger in the motor vehicle 
being driven. 
3. 
Penalties. 
In addition to any other penalty, the court 
shall suspend the driver's license for aet-~€££-~~-~-Gay&-ae~ 
no more than 180 days, 
of which RliaiRlbl.RI 
days may not be 
suspended. 
If the court fails 
to 
suspend the 
license, 
the 
Secretary 
of 
State 
shall 
impose 
the 
minimum 
period 
of 
suspension. 
If 
the 
person 
endangered is 
a 
bicyclist or 
a 
pedestrian, the court shall suspend the driver 1 s license for at 
least 30 days and shall impose a fine of at least $500 and not 
more 
than 
$1, 500, 
neither 
of 
which 
may 
be 
suspended. 
In 
addition, 
the court shall require that the driver attend and 
successfully complete a defensive driving course as described in 
Title 23, section 4208. 
SUMMARY 
This bill clarifies that endangerment of bicyclists 
and 
pedestrians 
is 
included 
in 
the 
definition 
of 
driving 
to 
endanger. 
In 
addition 
to 
other 
penalties, 
if 
the 
person 
endangered is a bicyclist or a pedestrian, then the court shall 
suspend the driver's license for 30 days, none of which may be 
suspended, and impose a fine of not less than $500 nor more than 
$1, 500, which fine may not be suspended. 
The court shall also 
require 
that 
the 
driver 
attend 
and 
successfully 
complete 
a 
defensive driving course. 
The bill also prohibits bicyclists 
from riding a bicycle to endanger.