A new regulation took effect this week in California that requires drivers to remain at least three feet away from cyclists while passing, or else risk receiving a fine. If a driver is seen passing a cyclist too closely, they can receive a $35 fine. If there is a collision that occurs within the three-foot buffer zone and the cyclist is injured, the driver may face a fine of $220. The new rule took effect at midnight on Tuesday.

The decision to form the new regulation was born out of analysis of the statistics regarding cyclist injuries and deaths within the state. In 2012, more than 150 cyclists were killed in car collisions in California, according to data from the California Highway Patrol. In Los Angeles County alone, almost 5,000 cyclists were killed or injured in traffic accidents in 2013, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Prior to this new rule, drivers were simply told to remain “a safe distance” away from cyclists, but no further description of what that meant was provided. California is now the 24th state to require the three-foot buffer zone, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

“If we see something that’s unsafe, we really will do whatever we can to enforce that,” CHP Officer Edgar Figueroa told the LA Times. He also mentioned that officers will be taking each situation case by case when deciding about whether or not a citation will be issued.

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