It's The Law!

Last revised and updated: 2020-09-20

Chapter 1 - Definitions of Words and Phrases

SECTION 1-104 - Bicycle, Electric-Assisted Bicycle, and Motorized Bicycle.
A. A bicycle is a device upon which any person or persons may ride, propelled solely by human power through a belt, chain, or gears, and having two or more wheels, excluding mopeds.

B. An electric-assisted bicycle is any bicycle with:

1. Two or three wheels; and

2. Fully operative pedals for human propulsion and equipped with an electric motor with a power output of not more than seven hundred fifty (750) watts that meets the requirements of one of the following three classes:

a. "Class 1 electric-assisted bicycle" shall mean an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty (20) miles per hour,

b. "Class 2 electric-assisted bicycle" shall mean an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty (20) miles per hour, and

c. "Class 3 electric-assisted bicycle" shall mean an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty-eight (28) miles per hour.

An electric-assisted bicycle shall meet the manufacturing and equipment requirements adopted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for bicycles and shall operate in such a manner that the electric motor disengages or ceases to function when the rider stops pedaling or the brakes are applied.

C. A motorized bicycle is any bicycle having:

1. Fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power;

2. A power drive system that functions directly or automatically without clutching or shifting by the operator after the drive system is engaged; and

3. A combustion engine with a piston or rotor displacement of eighty (80 cu cm) cubic centimeters or less, regardless of the number of chambers in the engine, which is capable of propelling the bicycle at a maximum design speed of not more than thirty-five (35) miles per hour on level ground.

D. As used in this title, the term "bicycle" shall include tricycles, quadcycles, or similar human-powered devices, electric-assisted bicycles, and motorized bicycles unless otherwise specifically indicated.

Chapter 11, Rules of the Road

Section 11-202 - Traffic-Control Signal Legend - Motorcycle and Bicycle
Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights or colored lighted arrows successively one at a time, or in combination, only the colors green, red and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word legend, and the lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:
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3. Steady red indication:
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d. notwithstanding any other provision of law, the driver of a motorcycle or bicycle facing any steady red signal may cautiously proceed through the intersection only if:

(1) the motorcycle or bicycle has been brought to a complete stop as required by subparagraph a of this paragraph,

(2) the traffic control signal is programmed or engineered to change to a green signal only after detecting the approach of a motor vehicle and has failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle or bicycle because of its size or weight, and

(3) no motor vehicle or person is approaching on the roadway to be crossed or entered, or the motor vehicle or person is at a distance from the intersection that does not constitute an immediate hazard.

The driver of any vehicle approaching the intersection, which lawfully may enter the intersection, shall have the right-of-way over any motorcycle or bicycle operator proceeding through a red light and, in no event where an accident results from the driver of the motorcycle or bicycle proceeding into the intersection on a red light, shall such driver of the vehicle be charged with any violation pursuant to Sections 11-401 and 11-403 of this title relating to failure to yield right-of-way, Section 11-310 of this title relating to following too closely, or Section 11-801 of this title relating to driving too fast for conditions, and

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Section 11-1103 - Riding on Motorcycle, Motor-Driven Cycle, Motorized Scooter, Bicycle, or Electric-Assisted Bicycle 

A. No person under the age of sixteen (16) years shall drive a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, motorized scooter, or motorized bicycle on any highway of this state while transporting any other person.

B. The operator of a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, motorized scooter, or motorized bicycle who has attained the age of sixteen (16) years or older may carry a passenger if the vehicle has a wheel diameter of twelve (12) inches or greater and is factory-designed and equipped with either:

1. A double seating device with double foot rests; or

2. A sidecar attachment providing a separate seat space within such sidecar attachment for each person riding therein so that such person shall be seated entirely within the body of said sidecar.

C. No rider of a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, motorized scooter, or motorized bicycle shall hold to any moving vehicle for the purpose of being propelled.

D. No driver of a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, motorized scooter, motorized bicycle, or electric-assisted bicycle shall pass other vehicles between lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction. This subsection shall not apply to the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle.

Section 11-1202 - Traffic Laws Apply to Persons Riding Bicycles or Motorized Scooters
Every person riding a bicycle or motorized scooter upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except as to special regulations in this article and except to those provisions of this title which by their nature can have no application.

Section 11-1203 - Riding on Bicycle or Motorized Scooter

A. A person operating a bicycle shall ride upon or astride a permanent and regular attached seat.

B. No bicycle or motorized scooter shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.

A. Every person operating a bicycle or motorized scooter upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as is safe to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following situations:

1. When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;

2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;

3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions and while exercising due care, including but not limited to:

a. fixed or moving objects,

b. parked or moving vehicles,

c. pedestrians or animals,

d. surface hazards, or

e. any time it is unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway; and

4. When riding in the right-turn-only lane.

B. Any person riding a bicycle or motorized scooter upon a one-way street or highway with two or more marked lanes of travel may ride as close as is safe to the left-hand curb or edge of the street or highway.

C. No person operating a bicycle or motorized scooter shall pass other vehicles between lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction.

D. Persons riding bicycles or motorized scooters upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or motorized scooters. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.

Section 11-1208 - Overtaking Bicycles - Penalties

A. When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, a person driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care and:

1. If there is more than one lane for traffic proceeding in the same direction, a motorist passing a cyclist shall move the vehicle to the lane to the immediate left if the lane is available and moving into the lane is reasonably safe, and the motorist shall not move back into the travel lane until the vehicle is safely clear of the overtaken person operating a bicycle;

2. If there is only one lane for traffic proceeding in the same direction, shall not overtake or pass a bicycle at a distance of less than three (3) feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator, and shall not move again to the right side of the highway until the vehicle is safely clear of the overtaken person operating a bicycle; or

3. May drive to the left of the center of the roadway, including when a no-passing zone is marked as defined in Section 11-307 of this title, to pass a person operating a bicycle only if the roadway to the left of the center is unobstructed for a sufficient distance to permit the driver to pass the person operating the bicycle safely and avoid interference with oncoming traffic. The provisions of this paragraph do not authorize driving on the left side of the center of the roadway when prohibited under Section 11-303, 11-305 or 11-306 of this title.

B. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection A of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). Any second or subsequent conviction shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed thirty (30) days, or a fine of not less than One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

C. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection A of this section and the violation results in an accident causing personal injury to another person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed three (3) months, or a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

D. 1. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection A of this section and the violation results in an accident causing great bodily injury to another person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months, or by a fine of not more than Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

2. As used in this subsection, "great bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.

E. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection A of this section and the violation results in the death of another person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, or by a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

F. A person may be charged under the provisions of this section in addition to any other chargeable offense allowed by law.

Chapter 12 - Equipment of Vehicles
  Article 7 - Bicycles

Section 12-701 - Not Applicable to Bicycles Unless Made Specifically Applicable
No provision in this chapter shall apply to bicycles or to equipment for use on bicycles except as to provisions in this article or unless a provision has been made specifically applicable to bicyclists, bicycles, electric-assisted bicycles or their equipment. As used in Chapter 12 of this title, "bicycle" shall include, unless otherwise specifically indicated, bicycles, mopeds, motorized bicycles, and electric-assisted bicycles, as those terms are defined in Chapter 1 of this title.

Section 12-702 - Bicycle Lamp - Requirements
Every bicycle in use at the times described in subsection B of Section 12-201 of this title shall be equipped with a lamp on the front emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least one thousand (1,000) feet to the front. This section shall not apply to a street or highway with a speed limit of twenty-five (25) miles per hour or less.

Section 12-703 - Bicycle Rear Lamp - Requirements
Every bicycle in use at the times described in subsection B of Section 12-201 of this title shall be equipped with a lamp on the rear emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least one thousand (1,000) feet to the rear. This section shall not apply to a street or highway with a speed limit of twenty-five (25) miles per hour or less.

Section 12-704 - Bicycle - Rear Reflector - Requirements
Every bicycle shall be equipped with a red reflector which shall be visible for six hundred (600) feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.

Section 12-705 - Bicycle - Lighted Lamp - Requirements
Repealed

Section 12-706 - Reflective Material - Requirements
Every bicycle when in use at the times described in subsection B of Section 12-201 of this title shall be equipped with reflective material of sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides for six hundred (600) feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.

Section 12-707 - Additional Lights and Reflectors - Requirements
A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by the foregoing sections; provided, such lights or reflectors shall comply with the provisions and limitations of Article II of Chapter 12 of this title.

Section 12-708 - Bicycle - Brakes Requirements

A bicycle shall not be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a bicycle, any siren.