State Safe Passing Laws

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State / Citation / Standard

Alabama 32-5A-82 “safe distance”

Alaska 13 AAC 02.065 “safe distance”

Arizona 28-735 “not less than 3 feet”

Arkansas 27-51-311 “not less than 3 feet”

California 21760 “shall not overtake or pass... at a distance of less than three feet”

Colorado 42-4-1002 “at least three-foot”

Connecticut 14-232 “not less than three feet”

Delaware 21: 4116 “a minimum of three feet”

District of Columbia DC Rule 18-2202 “in no case less than 3 feet”

Florida 316.083 “not less than 3 feet”

Georgia 40-6-56 “not less than 3 feet”

Hawaii 291C-43 “safe distance”

Idaho 49-632 “safe distance”

Illinois 11-703 “not less than 3 feet”

Indiana 9-21-8-5 “safe distance”

Iowa 321.299 “safe distance”

Kansas 8-1516 “not less than 3 feet”

Kentucky 189.340 “reasonably clear”

Louisiana 32:76.1 “not less than 3 feet”

Maine 21-A: 2070 “not less than 3 feet”

Maryland 21-1209 “not less than 3 feet”

Massachusetts Ch. 90 §14; Ch. 89 §2 “safe distance”

Michigan 257.636 “safe distance”

Minnesota 169.18 “in no case less than three feet”

Mississippi 63-3-1309 “not less than three feet”

Missouri 300.411 “safe distance”

Montana 61-8-320 “safely without endangering”

Nebraska 60-6,133 “no less than three feet”

Nevada 484B.270 “not less than three feet”

New Hampshire 265:143-a “at least three feet”

New Jersey 39:4-85 “safe distance”

New Mexico 66-7-310 “safe distance”

New York 25: 1122-a “safe distance”

North Carolina 20-149 “at least two feet”

North Dakota 39-10-11 “safe dIstance”

Ohio 4511.27 “safe distance”

Oklahoma 47-11-1208 “not less than 3 feet”

Oregon 811.065 “safe distance” (a distance sufficient to prevent contact with the person operating the bicycle if the person were to fall into the driver’s lane of traffic)

Pennsylvania 75: 3303 “not less than 4 feet”

Rhode Island 31-15-18 “safe distance” (a distance sufficient to prevent contact with the person operating the bicycle if the person were to fall into the driver’s lane of traffic)

South Carolina 56-5-3435 “safe operating distance”

South Dakota 32-26-26.1 “a minimum of 3 foot” if “the posted limit is 35 mph or less” and “a minimum of 6 feet” if “the posted limit is greater than 35 mph”

Tennessee 55-8-175(c)(2) “not less than 3 feet”

Texas 545.053 “safe distance”

Utah 41-6a-706.5 “may not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly operate... within three feet ... unless ... within a reasonable and safe distance”

Vermont 23: 1033 “safe distance”

Virginia 46.2-839 “at least two feet”

Washington 46.61.110 “safe distance to clearly avoid coming into contact with”

West Virginia 17C-7-3 “safe distance”

Wisconsin 346.075 “in no case less than 3 feet”

Wyoming 31-5-203(c) “at least 3 foot separation”