California has a strong reputation for cycling. In 2022, the League of American Bicyclists designated the state as the fourth most friendly state for bicycling in the United States. Two California cities – Davis and Berkeley – rank among the top ten best cities with populations of 50,000 to 300,000 to bike, according to People for Bikes. Davis stands at the top of that list.
Yet, cycling can prove dangerous. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, traffic accidents claim over 100 cyclists a year and injure more than 10,000 bicycle riders annually. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report notes that, in 2020, twelve out of the 282 traffic fatalities in Los Angeles were pedal cyclists. That resulting percentage of bicycle fatalities (4.3%) trailed only New York City among cities with a population above 500,000. Cyclists accounted for three of the 56 total traffic deaths (5.4%) in San Jose in 2020.
Nationally, the annual death toll from bicycle accidents registers at 1,000, with emergency rooms treating 350,000 cyclists per year. In 2020, bicycle accidents generated medical costs of $5.4 billion and $7.7 billion more in the costs arising from fatalities, inability to work, and lost productivity. Unlike automobile drivers and passengers, those on bikes do not have airbags, framing, or other measures to protect them or lessen the risk of serious injuries from a traffic accident.
California law recognizes the unique risks faced by cyclists and the need for space, time, and visibility. In many respects, the California Vehicle Code treats bicycle riders in the same or similar fashion as automobile drivers. Below, we highlight the bicycle laws that cyclists need to know.
Bicycle Lanes
As a testament to the bicycle-friendly nature of California, the state boasted over 386,000 miles of bike lanes in 2008. The City of Davis has 102 miles of them. As of 2021, the City of San Jose's on-street bikeway network runs 400 miles.
Under California Vehicle Code Section 21209, bicycle lanes are off-limits to motor vehicles except for permitted parking, turning within 200 feet of an intersection, or entering or leaving a street, road, or highway. Look for a solid white line with a bicycle symbol or other marking to indicate that it is a bike lane. Near an intersection, the broad white line becomes a dotted one. Depending on the location, you may notice a bright green line to indicate the bike lane.
Vehicles Passing Bicycles
California Assembly Bill 1909, otherwise known as the “OmniBike Bill,” requires that drivers of motor vehicles completely change lanes before passing a bicycle. This adds to the long-standing rule that drivers must stay at least three feet away from bicycles while attempting to pass.
Bicyclists Crossing Walkways
Under Assembly Bill 1909, bicyclists receive the same treatment as pedestrians when it comes to crossings at intersections. Pedestrians facing a red light may cross an intersection with a “WALK” or a person walking symbol. Vehicle Code Section 21456 permits bicycle riders crossing a walkway the same privilege.
Stopping at Stop Signs and Red Lights
Bicyclists must follow California Vehicle Code Section 21453, which requires stopping at red lights. Unless the intersection contains a sign prohibiting any turn on red, bicyclists and automobile drivers alike may turn right on red upon having stopped and seeing that it is safe to turn. Also, left turns from a one-way street onto another one-way street are allowed on red if you have stopped and can safely turn.
California Vehicle Code Section 22450 mandates that cyclists stop at stop signs at intersections and railroad grade crossings.
According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, roughly one in four cyclist deaths in 2020 occurred at intersections.
Cycling Under the Influence
Driving an automobile under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a crime in California. The same applies if you are cycling on a highway or public road under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. Under California Vehicle Code Section 21200.5, bicyclists under such influence face a $250 fine. Law enforcement officers may test the breath or blood of a cyclist arrested or stopped under reasonable suspicion or cause for violating Section 21200.5. Bicycle riders under the age of 21 years old can earn a suspension of their license to drive a motor vehicle upon conviction.
Wearing a Helmet
Conventional wisdom and statistics teach the importance of helmets to bicycle safety. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that emergency rooms treated 597,000 traumatic brain injuries from bicycle accidents. According to a 2018 study, helmet use translates to a 53 percent reduction in traumatic brain injuries and a nearly 50 percent drop in head injuries.
Perhaps surprisingly, California requires only riders under 18 years old to wear helmets. Adults do not have such a mandate.
Further, the failure to wear a helmet may not even impact the cyclist's claim for injuries. Under the comparative negligence law, an injured party's damages are reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the claimant. However, comparative negligence addresses the cyclist's operation of a bicycle or a driver's operation of a vehicle. Whether you wear a helmet does not affect whether you stopped, turned in safety, gave hand signals, or kept a proper lookout for other vehicles or pedestrians.
Similarly, you might overcome a defense argument that you failed to mitigate your damages. The law requires you to take reasonable steps, such as seeking medical treatment, to reduce the effects of the injury or the extent of your losses. Mitigation applies to your actions after the accident. Helmet use occurs before your injury.
Safety Equipment
As with cars, trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles, bicycles must have certain pieces of safety equipment.
California Vehicle Code Section 21201(a) provides that bicycles must have a brake that allows a wheel to “skid on dry, level, clean pavement.”
Section 21201(d) establishes standards to make bicycles visible to motorists and others:
- A lamp emitting white light in front of the bicycle and visible for 300 feet in front of and to the sides of the bicycle
- *Rear red reflectors visible at 500 feet in front of automobiles using high-beam lights
- White or yellow reflectors visible on all pedals, shoes, and ankles visible for at least 200 feet from the front and rear of the bicycle
- Either reflectors on wheels or a white or yellow reflector located on each side of the bicycle forward from and at the rear to the center of the bicycle
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2021, 56 percent of deaths of cyclists happened at dawn, dusk, or night. As to weekdays, one in five fatal bicycle crashes occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The same three-hour interval accounts for nearly a quarter of weekend bicycle accidents resulting in death.
