North Carolina House Bill 275 increases failure to yield penalties for drivers failing to stop for blind pedestrians

Original title: Failure to Yield Penalties.

Last action · March 27, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action)Sponsors: Celeste Cairns and 27 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

North Carolina House Bill 275 increases the criminal penalty to a for drivers who fail to yield the to a blind or partially blind pedestrian using a white cane or guide dog, effective December 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Drivers face increased criminal charges for failing to yield to pedestrians using white canes or guide dogs at crosswalks and intersections.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Drivers

Drivers face increased criminal penalties of a Class 2 misdemeanor for failing to yield the right-of-way to blind or partially blind pedestrians.

Directly affected

Blind or partially blind pedestrians

Pedestrians using white canes or guide dogs retain explicit right-of-way protections backed by heightened criminal penalties for non-compliant drivers.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What triggers a driver's legal obligation to stop under this bill?

Drivers must stop when a blind or partially blind pedestrian extends a white cane (or white cane tipped with red) at arm's length, is accompanied by a guide dog, or is already partly across an intersection when traffic signals change.

What is the penalty for failing to yield to a blind pedestrian under the bill?

Any person who fails to yield the as required is guilty of a .

When does this change take effect?

The act becomes effective on December 1, 2026, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

14 actions

Mar 27, 2025Senate
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
Mar 27, 2025Senate
Passed 1st Reading
Mar 27, 2025Senate
Regular Message Received From House
Mar 27, 2025House
Regular Message Sent To Senate
Mar 26, 2025House
Passed 3rd Reading
Mar 26, 2025House
Passed 2nd Reading

Show 8 earlier actions

Mar 24, 2025House
Placed On Cal For 03/26/2025
Mar 24, 2025House
Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
Mar 24, 2025House
Reptd Fav
Mar 18, 2025House
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Mar 18, 2025House
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
Mar 5, 2025House
Ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Mar 5, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Mar 4, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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