Wicomico County - Highway Pedestrian Safety Act, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                        Ch. 781

Chapter 781

                   (House Bill 591)

AN ACT concerning

             Wicomico County – Highway Pedestrian Safety Act

FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person in Wicomico County from standing in a roadway,
         shoulder, median divide, or intersection determined by the county or a municipal
         corporation in the county in certain manners to be inherently dangerous; prohibiting
         a police officer from issuing a citation for a violation of this Act unless certain
         conditions are met; and generally relating to prohibiting standing in inherently
         dangerous roadways, shoulders, median dividers, or intersections in Wicomico
         County.

BY adding to
         Article – Transportation
         Section 21–507.1
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Transportation

21–507.1.

(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY IN WICOMICO COUNTY.

        (B) IN THIS SECTION, “INHERENTLY DANGEROUS” MEANS POSING A
SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY TO A PEDESTRIAN, A DRIVER OR PASSENGER IN A VEHICLE,

OR OTHER PERSONS THAT CANNOT BE MITIGATED WITH THE EXERCISE OF

ORDINARY CARE.

        (C) (1) A SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, A PERSON
MAY NOT STAND IN A ROADWAY, SHOULDER, MEDIAN DIVIDER, OR INTERSECTION

DETERMINED BY THE COUNTY OR A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN THE COUNTY TO

BE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS.

                (2) THE COUNTY OR A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN THE COUNTY
SHALL MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHETHER A STATE ROADWAY, SHOULDER,
MEDIAN DIVIDER, OR INTERSECTION IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.

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Ch. 781  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

        (D) (1) A POLICE OFFICER MAY NOT ISSUE A CITATION FOR A VIOLATION
OF THIS SECTION UNLESS:

                (1) (I) THE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ROADWAY, SHOULDER,
MEDIAN DIVIDER, OR INTERSECTION HAS APPROPRIATE SIGNS INSTALLED BY THE

COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION THAT NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THAT A PERSON

MAY NOT STAND IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION; AND

                (2) (II) THE SIGNS ARE INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE

MANUAL AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF TRAFFIC CONTROL

DEVICES ADOPTED BY THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION UNDER § 25–104 OF
THIS ARTICLE.

                (2) ON A STATE HIGHWAY, THE COUNTY OR A MUNICIPAL

CORPORATION IN THE COUNTY MAY INSTALL THE SIGNS REQUIRED UNDER

PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION ONLY WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE STATE
HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June
1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.

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