What is Stop as Yield?

A3986/S2643 – Stop as Yield (aka Idaho Stop) would amend the VTL to allow cyclists to treat stop lights as stop signs, and stop signs as yields.  A3986 passed the Assembly in 2023 and is a priority for the NYS Safe Streets Coalition in 2024.

Why do we need this bill?

• Twenty seven cyclists were killed in New York City in 2019.  More than half the deaths involved commercial vehicles.  2023 was even deadlier with 30 cyclists killed—again, half the crashes involved commercial vehicles.

• Enabling cyclists to enter an intersection before a  light turns green gets them out of truck drivers’ blind spots and past cars blocking bike lanes—two major causes of cyclist deaths.

“Right Cross”

“Lane Block”

“Left Hook”

• Allowing cyclists to yield at stop signs reduces fatigue—and time in intersections when they’re apt to get hit—additional risk factors. 

“Stop as Yield” Illustrations Joseph Lertola.

• Eleven states have passed “stop as yield” laws.  In 2022, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found these laws allow bicyclists to mitigate risk to their advantage. “Stopping discourages bicycling, substantially increasing time, energy expenditure, discomfort, risk of collisions, and risk for strain and overuse injuries”

• Stop as Yield will increase cyclist compliance with traffic laws. In 2018, NYCDOT observed that red light violations dropped 66% when cyclists were allowed to enter the intersection during the leading pedestrian interval (“LPI”).

NYCDOT

• Passing Stop as Yield will facilitate networks of bikeways along secondary roads that cyclists stay off of to avoid repeated stopping.

• Making it safer and easier to bike will reduce vehicle miles traveled; enhance access to green space and public health; grow jobs and tourism; and broadly improve transportation equity, affordability and resilience—thereby reducing costs to comply with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

FAQ

Will Stop-as-Yield be harder to enforce?

No.  The current law does not distinguish between a cyclist who stops, waits for motorists-pedestrian to clear the intersection. Rather the current law is typically enforced in situations where cyclists’ actions pose no risk to themselves or others.

A3986/S2643 will focus enforcement on the small group who fail to “respect pedestrian right-of-way in a crosswalk” [VTL 1151(a)], or to “maintain a speed not reasonable or prudent” [VTL 1180(a)].

Chicago Department of Transportation

Will the legislation apply to EBikes?

Yes.  EBikes must follow the same rules as pedal bikes. 

At red lights, EBikes must come to a full stop and wait for cross traffic and pedestrians to clear before proceeding.  At stop signs, EBikes must reduce speed and yield to pedestrians and cross traffic.

Resources: NHTSA “Stop-As-Yield” Fact Sheet, What’s Really Killing New York’s Cyclists?, NYCDOT Leading Pedestrian Interval Study, Grayways, NYS Complete Streets Coalition “Package”, Talking Points, Campaign Page, Letter of Support, Take 30 seconds to save a cyclist’s life … yours!

Contact: Neile Weissman, neile@completegeorge.org, 917-446-6002