SAN FRANCISCO—An ordinance has passed that prohibits San Francisco tour bus drivers from simultaneously narrating and driving through city streets.
The ordinance was unanimously approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 7. The ordinance is a response to last year’s accident in which a city hall employee was struck and killed by a tour bus outside city hall.
Reports claim that the tour bus driver who struck and killed 68-year-old Pricilla Moreto was distracted by his duties as a guide at the time of the crash.
Though unpopular with those in the tourism industry, the new ordinance aims to prevent any such accidents in the future, as drivers will be allowed to focus their full attention on the road.
Drivers who are found to be in violation of the law will be subject to a citation. At this juncture, it is unknown what the exact punishment for a violation will be.
San Francisco Supervisor Norman Yee believes the ordinance will prove a valuable step in the city’s Vision Zero Initiative, which aims to eliminate all pedestrian fatalities in San Francisco by the year 2024.
