Cyclists and pedestrians in New York will get some additional protections, thanks to a pair of new state laws that take effect in the fall. Whether the roads are any friendlier depends on whether drivers take the laws seriously.

The State Legislature passed the laws in June, but Governor David Paterson signed them only recently.

One law says requires drivers to pass cyclists and pedestrians on the left and at a safe distance. This is just common sense, and it should have been put into law long ago. The law doesn't specify what's considered a safe distance, though, and it doesn't spell out the penalty for violating the law.

The other law's a little more complicated. It amends an existing law to cover collisions with cyclists and pedestrians. Basically, drivers must "exercise due care to avoid colliding" with cyclists and pedestrians.

If drivers fail to "exercise due caution" and collide with and injure a cyclist or pedestrian, they can be cited by police. That can mean hundreds of dollars in fines or a few weeks in jail.

In an ideal world, this law would encourage drivers to pay attention and to better share the road. In reality, a lot of drivers know that the law exists. And careless drivers may not pay attention to it anyway.  But at least it holds drivers accountable if they injure a cyclist or pedestrian.

I'm glad to see that New York lawmakers are thinking about these types of issues. It means they are realizing that roadways aren't just for cars, and that's good for all of us who bike or walk. It'd be nice, however, if legislators also focused on building roads and transportation systems that are friendlier to cyclists and pedestrians.