Transportation (Pedestrian Safety)

This bill updates Montana's traffic laws to strengthen protections for pedestrians in crosswalks and establishes new penalties for drivers who endanger them. It requires vehicles to stop completely when approaching activated pedestrian-actuated devices like flashing beacons and remain stopped until pedestrians finish crossing. The legislation creates a specific misdemeanor offense called "endangerment of pedestrians" with escalating fines for repeat violations and mandates that drivers pay for repairs if they damage pedestrian-actuated equipment. Additionally, the bill clarifies rules about when vehicles may turn right at crosswalks and prohibits overtaking stopped vehicles at intersections where pedestrians are crossing.

Bill LC 3806, titled "Funding local government pedestrian infrastructure," proposed state funding for local governments to improve pedestrian safety features like sidewalks, crosswalks, and accessible pathways. It would have directly affected municipalities and counties by providing resources for infrastructure projects prioritizing pedestrian accessibility. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 23, 2025, without advancing to a vote or establishing specific funding mechanisms. As a result, no policy changes were enacted through this bill.

Bill LC 1822, titled "Generally revise bicycle laws," aimed to update state regulations governing bicycle use, which would have directly affected cyclists, local governments managing infrastructure, and law enforcement handling traffic enforcement. The bill was drafted and assigned to a drafter in November 2024 but died in the legislative process without advancing to committee or floor votes in May 2025. As a result, no specific policy changes were enacted, and the existing bicycle laws remained unchanged. The bill's draft did not include detailed provisions, as it never progressed beyond initial drafting.

SB 471 revises vehicular traffic laws to enhance pedestrian safety at crossings by creating the offense of "endangerment of pedestrians." It establishes a tiered system of fines for drivers who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians, with higher penalties for violations occurring at crosswalks equipped with activated pedestrian-actuated devices. Drivers are also made liable for the cost of repairing or replacing any pedestrian-actuated devices they damage. Additionally, the bill clarifies driver responsibilities at flashing pedestrian-actuated devices, requiring them to yield and remain stopped until the pedestrian has crossed, or proceed with caution if unable to stop safely.