74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 371
 
                         Senate Bill 108
 
Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the
  President of the Senate in conformance with presession filing
  rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part
  of the President (at the request of Governor Theodore R.
  Kulongoski for Department of State Police)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Expands offense of following too closely to include vehicle
coming up behind another vehicle in unsafe manner. Punishes by
fine of $360.
  Increases penalty for offense of following too closely if act
contributes to collision. Punishes by fine of $720.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to traffic offenses; amending ORS 811.485.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. ORS 811.485 is amended to read:
  811.485. (1) A person commits the offense of following too
closely if the person does any of the following:
  (a) Drives a vehicle so as to follow another vehicle more
closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the
speed of the vehicles and the traffic upon, and condition of, the
highway.
  (b) Drives a truck, commercial bus or motor vehicle drawing
another vehicle when traveling upon a roadway outside of a
business or residence district or upon a freeway within the
corporate limits of a city and follows another truck, commercial
bus or motor vehicle drawing another vehicle without, when
conditions permit, leaving sufficient space so that an overtaking
vehicle may enter and occupy the space without danger. This
paragraph does not prevent a truck, commercial bus or motor
vehicle drawing another vehicle from overtaking and passing a
vehicle or combination of vehicles.
  (c) Drives a vehicle when traveling upon a roadway outside of a
business or residence district or upon a freeway within the
corporate limits of a city in a caravan or motorcade whether or
not towing another vehicle without operating the vehicle so as to
leave sufficient space between vehicles to enable a vehicle to
enter and occupy the space without danger.
   { +  (d) Drives a vehicle so as to come up behind another
vehicle in an unsafe manner. + }
  (2) This section does not apply in the case of a funeral
procession. Except for the funeral lead vehicle, vehicles
 
participating in a funeral procession shall follow the preceding
vehicle as closely as is reasonable and safe.
  (3) The offense described in this section, following too
closely, is a Class B traffic violation  { + unless the
commission of the offense contributes to a collision. If the
commission of the offense described in this section, following
too closely, contributes to a collision, the offense is a Class A
traffic violation + }.
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