Additional Information for 2026 Omnibus Bicyclist Safety Bill (HB661)

The Virginia Bicycling Federation compiled additional information, answers to common questions, and riding scenarios to better explain the 2026 omnibus bicyclist safety bill (HB661).

You can view this document in PDF form here.

Purpose: To improve safety for people who bicycle, reduce crashes at intersections, and update Virginia law with proven, data-backed best practices in use in other states.

Safety Yield: Recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, legal in 11 states (and DC), reduced bicycle-involved crashes by 23% in Delaware.

Proceed on Walk Signal: Recommended by the National Association of City Transportation Officials to extend the safety benefits of Leading Pedestrian Intervals to a person bicycling on a roadway.

Riding Two Abreast: Makes people on bicycles more visible to drivers, promotes safer overtaking and allows parents and others to ride beside less experienced riders.

Does not change right-of-way rules.

Uniformity (i.e. “Bicyclist as motorist or pedestrian, which is it?” and “Shouldn’t a Stop Sign mean stop for every road user?”). We support the general principle of uniformity, but believe that exceptions are warranted when there is evidence to suggest safety benefits. HB661 does not change right-of-way rules.

Some people find the language for Riding Two Abreast confusing. While the law applies broadly to all people riding bicycles, a primary purpose is to allow parents to ride next to children. For example:

On a street with a speed limit of less than 35 mph, people riding bicycles may ride two abreast with no restrictions, as is the case in 26 states.
On a two-lane road with a speed limit of 35 mph or greater, the bill retains a restriction that people “riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic”.
See scenario information below for additional information.

Why does Safety Yield apply only to people age 15 and older or accompanied by an adult? As part of discussions during a Virginia State Police-led stakeholder workgroup in 2021, AAA Mid-Atlantic suggested including an age limit. Localities are authorized to require helmets for people on a bicycle 14 years of age and younger, i.e., 15 and older are not required to wear helmets. To simplify potential law enforcement associated with a person on a bicycle, HB661 uses the same age as the helmet provision.

Should HB661 limit the distance between an adult accompanying a child? Parents and other adults accompanying children make every effort to keep their children safe and hence would be expected to avoid a large gap. Specifying a distance in Code of Virginia could potentially be problematic for enforcement.

Does HB661’s override something like a “No U-turn” or “No Right on Red” sign? A “No Turn On Red” sign takes precedence and would govern the behavior of a person on a bicycle in a bike lane or roadway at a signalized intersection. HB661 allows a person on a bicycle to proceed on a walk signal only to proceed straight or turn right with the requirement to stop for pedestrians and yield right-of-way to other vehicles. That provision was intended to not allow left turns and should be sufficient to not allow U-Turns.

Three scenarios illustrate how HB661 would affect Riding Two Abreast

Scenario 1: Two-lane road with a speed limit of 35 mph or higher

This scenario applies to many rural roads in Virginia. Under HB661, cyclists riding two abreast must still avoid “impeding the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.” This is the standard language used in most states that restrict riding two abreast. The bill would, however, remove older, ambiguous wording that no other state uses.

Scenario 2: Four-lane road (more than one lane in each direction)

On multi-lane roads, motorists already have a passing lane available. Because of that, the requirement that cyclists riding two abreast must not impede traffic becomes unnecessary.

Scenario #3: Two-lane road with a speed limit below 35 mph

This scenario typically applies to residential streets, where a parent or experienced rider might accompany a child or less experienced cyclist. HB661 would allow riding two abreast in these lower-speed settings, consistent with the approach in 26 states with no restrictions at all. In practice, the experienced rider usually positions themselves to the left of the less experienced one, providing protection from passing vehicles. When a car approaches from behind and cannot pass safely, the lead rider typically signals how and when to move aside or stop briefly to allow traffic to pass.

The proposed changes serve two main goals:

Remove unclear language intended to limit riding two abreast, retaining the clearer and more widely used wording recommended by the Uniform Vehicle Code.

Maintain restrictions only on two-lane roads with speed limits of 35 mph or higher — allowing safer, lawful side-by-side riding on slower roads where children or less experienced cyclists often ride.

Note: Twenty-six states currently have no restrictions on riding two abreast.

More about Virginia Legislation

Virginia's legislative sessions are brief and hectic. Over the course of the year, WABA works with a variety of partners including the Virginia Bicycling Federation to build support for bike-friendly legislation, as well as funding for trails and street safety improvements.

Past victories include law requiring drivers to pass bicyclists with at least three feet of space, allowing bicycles on VRE Trains, and funding for the Long Bridge bike and pedestrian crossing over the Potomac River. Current priorities include legalizing the Bicycle Stop-as-Yield, an e-bike purchase incentive program, and allowing bicyclists to proceed on the Leading Pedestrian Interval at stop lights.

More about Laws & Policy

WABA works with grassroots advocates at the local, county and state level to support laws and policies that make it easier and safer to walk, bike, and take transit. And we work to changes ones that make biking less safe, make it harder to build bike infrastructure, or that deprioritize the safety and convenience of people walking, biking, or taking transit.

In practice that means advocating for robust and transformative Vision Zero programs, enforceable Complete Streets policies, and funding for new infrastructure that supports biking, walking and transit.

Other regional legislative priorities include:

Reforming Contributory Negligence (passed in DC, in the works in Maryland and Virginia).
Getting rid of the Level of Service engineering standards in transportation decision-making.
Funding E-bike purchase rebates.

More about Advocacy

WABA fights for a region where biking, walking and transit are the best ways to get around.

We educate policymakers and organize grassroots advocates for to speak up for safer places to bike and walk; and for laws and policies that protect people who are walking and biking, reduce dangerous driving, and facilitate changes to the built environment.