Bicycle Safety

What most people don't know about bicycling in Connecticut is that bicyclists are considered vehicles when they are in the roadway. The law states that bicyclists driving in the roadway shall be granted all the rights, and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to any driver of a vehicle. What this means is that if you are driving your bicycle on any road, you must obey all the laws that a car must obey. Bicyclists must ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against it. They must signal their turns, obey all traffic signs / signals, and yes, obey the speed limit. One of the reasons for this law is that it gives bicyclists the right to drive on the roadway and defines who has the right of way at intersections. Bicyclists must drive as far to the right as practicable.

The law also defines rights and duties when riding on a sidewalk. A bicyclist is considered a pedestrian when riding on a sidewalk, however, the bicyclist must give the right of way to a person walking on the sidewalk.

< Back