(a)  For purposes of this section, “vulnerable road user” means:

(1)  A pedestrian who is acting in compliance with chapter 18 of this title;

(2)  A bicyclist who is acting in compliance with chapter 19 of this title;

(3)  A police officer or emergency worker on duty when outside of a vehicle;

(4)  A highway worker performing duties outside of a vehicle;

(5)  A person riding on or driving a wheelchair, motorized or not, who is acting in compliance with chapter 18 of this title;

(6)  A person using a skateboard, inline skates, or roller skates who is acting in compliance with chapter 19 of this title;

(7)  A person riding on or driving an animal;

(8)  A person riding on a scooter who is acting in compliance with chapter 19.1 of this title.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-15-20

  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

(b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, any person, while operating a motor vehicle on a street or highway, who fails to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user, who is the proximate cause of injury, serious injury, or death to the vulnerable road user, shall be guilty of an offense pursuant to this section and shall be sentenced, in addition to any other applicable criminal or civil statute, as follows:

(1)  When bodily injury of a vulnerable road user is caused by a violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred dollars ($200).

(2)  When serious bodily injury of a vulnerable road user is caused by a violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500), and the driver’s license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) months.

(3)  When the death of a vulnerable road user is caused by a violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000) and the driver’s license shall be suspended for a period of one year.

(c)  As used in this section, “serious bodily injury” means physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.

History of Section.
P.L. 2021, ch. 63, § 1, effective June 25, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 66, § 1, effective June 25, 2021.