For many New Yorkers, bicycling is an extremely popular method of transportation. Whether you are seeking to reduce your carbon footprint, find a more cost-efficient method of transportation or you just want to add a bit more exercise into your day, there are many benefits to riding a bicycle around the city. However, if you hope to ride a bicycle on the streets of New York, it is very important to understand the state’s laws governing bicycle travel.
Perhaps the most important law regarding the use of bicycles in New York is the state’s helmet law. Not only are helmets extremely important to the safety of bikers, but it is also quite easy for law enforcement officials to see that a helmet is not being worn, which could lead to legal consequences. In New York, individuals who are 13 or younger must wear a helmet if they are on a bicycle, whether they are driving or riding as a passenger.
Another serious issue that bicyclists may wish to know about is the law regarding biking on sidewalks. For the general state, there are no laws about sidewalk biking, which means that individuals are encouraged to pay attention to signs that authorize or prohibit the act. This is particularly true here in the city.
There are many other laws that bicyclists may wish to take note of, including where bicyclists should ride and how they should be passed when on the road. This information is useful not only for bikers but for pedestrians who are injured by bicyclists as well. Knowing the laws governing bicycles can be crucial both in filing a claim against a bicyclist for injuries and for bicyclists who are filing personal injury lawsuits.