Bicycle Riders Can Lose Rights if They Disobey the Law

Did you know that May was National Bike Month? As the weather warms each year, biking becomes more and more popular and people take to the roads with their bikes. Unfortunately, every year we see far too many collisions between cars and bicycles, resulting in serious injuries and even fatalities.

Alabama law regulates the riding of bicycles just as it does other vehicles. Cyclists who violate Alabama bicycle laws may be found to be at fault and be barred from recovering compensation from a negligent driver because of their own contributory negligence.

In general, all driving laws that apply to motor vehicles also apply to bicycles, including respecting the direction of traffic, stopping at stop signs and red lights, and yielding when required. There are also rules specific to bicyclists:

• Riding on the right. Bicyclists must ride as close to the right side of the road as possible
• No more than two abreast. Cyclists on a road cannot ride more than two abreast unless they are on special, bike-only paths
• Using the bike paths. Whenever there is a usable path for bicycles near the road, a bicyclist may not ride on the road and instead must ride on the bike path
• No undue burdens. Bicyclist may not carry anything that prevents them from keeping one hand on the handlebars
• Have proper equipment. A bicycle must have proper equipment, including a functional brake, a white front light that is visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike and a red rear reflector that is visible in the headlamps of a car from between one hundred and six hundred feet away

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, contact us to see how our personal injury lawyers can help fight for your rights and get you compensation for your injuries.