Vehicle Laws - Bicycles, Play Vehicles, and Unicycles - Crosswalks

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0177*

HOUSE BILL 177
R2 6lr0940
HB 422/25 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF SB 155
By: Delegates Palakovich Carr, Lehman, and Ruth
Requested: September 24, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 14, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Vehicle Laws – Bicycles, Play Vehicles, and Unicycles – Crosswalks 2

FOR the purpose of authorizing a person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle at an 3
intersection who is facing a red signal to enter the intersection to cross the highway 4
in the direction of a pedestrian control “walk” si gnal; and generally relating to the 5
operation of bicycles, play vehicles, and unicycles at crosswalks. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Transportation 8
Section 21–1202 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Transportation 14

21–1202. 15

(a) Every person operating a bicycle or a motor scooter in a public bicycle area 16
has all the rights granted to and is subject to all the duties required of the driver of a vehicle 17
by this title, including the duties set forth in § 21–504 of this title, except: 18

2 HOUSE BILL 177

(1) As otherwise provided in this subtitle; and 1

(2) For those provisions of this title that by their very nature cannot apply. 2

(b) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection, a person has 3
the rights and is subject to the restrictions applicable to pedestrians under this title while 4
the person is lawfully operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle: 5

(i) On a sidewalk or sidewalk area; or 6

(ii) In or through a crosswalk. 7

(2) (I) [At] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 8
PARAGRAPH, AT an intersection, a person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle is 9
subject to all traffic control signals, as provided in §§ 21–202 and 21–203 of this title. 10

(II) 1. UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRE CTED BY A TRAFFIC 11
CONTROL DEVICE, A PERSON OPERATING A BICYCLE, PLAY VEHICLE, OR UNICYCLE 12
AT AN INTERSECTION WHO IS FACING A RED SIGNAL MAY ENTER THE INTERSECTION 13
TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY IN THE DIRECTION OF A PEDESTRIAN CONTROL “WALK” 14
SIGNAL DISPLAYED FOR THE PORTION OF THE H IGHWAY ON WHICH THE BICYCLE, 15
PLAY VEHICLE, OR UNICYCLE IS TRAVELING. 16

2. BEFORE ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AS DESCRIBED 17
IN SUBSUBPARAGRAPH 1 OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH , A PERSON OPERATING A 18
BICYCLE, PLAY VEHICLE, OR UNICYCLE SHALL YI ELD THE RIGHT –OF–WAY TO ANY 19
VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN LAWFULLY USING THE INTERSECTION. 20

(3) A person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle on a sidewalk or 21
sidewalk area or in or through a crosswalk shall yield the right –of–way to a pedestrian or 22
a person riding on an electric personal assistive mobility device. 23

(4) Section 21 –506 of this title does not apply to a person operating a 24
bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle. 25

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2026. 27