Sacramento Bicycle Accident Attorney

In most areas, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of motor vehicles. Cyclists must follow the law as to driving under the influence, giving pedestrians the right of way, and following traffic signals as if they were driving a car.

Cyclists are also required to ride with the flow of traffic, except in certain circumstances including passing, making a legal left turn, riding on a one-way street, riding on a road that is too narrow, or when the right side of the road is closed due to road construction. If there is a road with a designated bike lane, cyclists traveling slower than the flow of vehicle traffic must use the bike lane unless they are making a left turn, passing, avoiding hazards, or approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

Drivers of motor vehicles also bare responsibility for the safety of cyclists. California’s “Three feet for Safety Act,” requires drivers to give cyclists at least three feet of space when driving alongside or passing a cyclist. Bicycle paths cannot be obstructed by parking a car or bicycle in it. Also, a cyclist on a road has the right to “take the lane” even if they are moving slower than traffic when:

• A cyclist is passing;
• preparing for a left turn;
• avoiding hazards in the roadway;
• a lane is too narrow to share, and
• when a right turn is authorized.