WHEREAS, Section 21-511 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland states that drivers must yield the right-of-way to blind pedestrians using canes or dogs in regulated or unregulated street crossings; and
WHEREAS, Section 33 (E) of the Maryland White Cane Law reinforces these provisions; and
WHEREAS, the reference to “crossings”unnecessarily restricts coverage and denies protection to blind pedestrians who inadvertently step outside the crosswalk; and
WHEREAS, as a result of this language, blind pedestrians who are struck by automobiles find that law enforcement officials do not enforce the White Cane Law or Section 21-511; and
WHEREAS, even in rare instances where the law is enforced, the lack of provision for recovery of damages leaves injured blind pedestrians with little hope of compensation for their injuries: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this fourth day of October, 1987, in the City of Frostburg, Maryland, that this organization calls upon the Maryland General Assembly to amend Section 21-511 and Section 33 (E) to eliminate ambiguity and safeguard the rights of blind pedestrians.